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X 


PRACTICAL  TREATISE 

ON 

DYING 

OP 

WOOLLEN,  COTTON,  AND  SKELN  SILK, 

THE  MANUFACTURING 


OF 


INCLUDING  THF    MOST  IMPROVED  METHODS  PURSUED 
IN  THE  WEST  OF  ENGLAND,  IN  WHICH  THE 
VARIOUS  MANIPULATIONS  ARE  ACCU- 
RATELY DELINEATED. 

ALSO, 

A  correct  description  of 
SULPHURING  WOOLLENS, 

AND 

CHEMICAL  BLEACHING  OF  COTTONS. 


BY  WILLIAM  PARTRIDGE. 

NEW-YORK: 
JUBLTSHED  BY  H.  WALLIS  &  CO.  FOR  THE  AUTHOR. 

J.  W.  Belt,  Printer,  70  Bowery^ 

1823. 


Stmthem  IHdrid:  of  JVetc-  York,  m. 

BE  it  remembered,  that  on  the  first  day  of  October, 

L.  5».    ID   the  forty -eigiith    year  of  tbe  iDdepeadence   of  \}te 

United  States    of  America,  William  Partridge,   of  the 

said  district,   hafii  deposited   in  this  office  tbe  title  of  a  book, 

the  lig-ht  whereof  he  claims  as  author,  in  the  words  following-, 

to  wit: 

"  A  Practical  Treatise  on  Dying-  of  Woollen,  Cotton,  and  Skein 
Silk.  Tbe  Manufectn  ring-  of  Broadclotlj  and  Cassimeres,  in- 
clodiDi^  tibe  flMKt  ImpTXJved  Methods  pursu&d  in  the  west  ot 
Eog-land,  in  which  the  rarious  manipulations  are  accurately  de- 
lineated. Also,  a  correct  description  of  Sulphuring  WoollcDS, 
and  Chemical  Bleaching  of  Cottons."     By  William  Partridg-e. 

In  conformity  to  the  act  of  Congress  of  the  United  States,  en- 
titled •*■  an  act  for  tbe  encourag-ement  of  learning-,  by  securing  the 
copies  of  ABps,  ch&rts,  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors 
of  soch  copi^  during  the  time  therein  mentioned.'"  And  also  to 
an  act,  entitied  **  an  act  supplementary  to  an  act,  entitled  an  act 
far  tiie  eocomragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  maps, 
eliarls,  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies, 
danng-  tbe  times  therein  mentjoned,  and  extending  the  benefits 
tbererf  to  the  arts  of  deiigningf,  cngraTing,  and  etching  historical 
aad  oilier  priats>^ 

JAMES  DILL, 
Clerk  of  the  Southern  District  of  JSi'eio-  Torlc. 


REVIEW  BY 
DOOT.  S.  I..  ZMOTCBZIi. 

''  I  was  much  gratified  by  the  detailed  and  practical  esplainatioa 
you  give  of  the  woollen  manufacture.  The  pertinency  and  judgment  of 
your  remark!!  on  the  domestic  articles  of  sumach,  quercitron,  maple, 
and  podalyria,  are  worthy  of  the  most  attentive  consideration.  So  are 
vour  remarks  on  the  culture  of  woad,  madder,  and  the  olive. 

'<  Tlie  subjects  on  which  you  have  written  are  of  very  great  moment 
and  extent.  They  are  becoming  daily  more  so.  Whether  your  valua- 
ble book  Avill  sensibly  accelerate  the  objects  it  contemplates,  time  will 
3ho\v.  I  think  it  will  ;  as  it  ought  to  |ja\  e  that  effect ;  and  assist  in  ren- 
dering our  country  less  dependent  than  heretofore,  and  now,  on  foreign 
labour,  for  the  coloured  goods  oa  which  you  treat  " 

SAMUEL  L.  MITCHILL. 
New-York,  Dec.  20, 1823. 


REVIEW  BY 

DOCT.  FZSIiZX  PASCAZ.ZS. 

*'  la  a  country  like  this,  where  capitalists,  and  other  industrious  clas- 
ses, call  loudly  in  every  journal  of  the  day,  in  every  electoral  raetiting, 
and  sovereign  legislature,  for  the  encouragement  of  domestic  manu- 
factures, this  work  is  an  acceptable  and  welcome  present- 

"  Good  materials  for  manufacturing  woollen  are  daily  furnished  ;  and 
line  specimens  of  that  species  of  fabric  are  often  proudly  exhibited  ; 
but,  whoever  feels  inclined  radically  to  promote  public  wealth  and  in- 
dustry, may  become  well  enabled  to  judge  of  what  improvements  and 
practical  knowledge  are  still  wanting,  by  a  perusal  of  the  *  Treatise'  of 
£>f  Mr.  Partridge. 

"  As  a  ^v^lter,  tnaf  gentleman  is  clear  and  perspicuous,  an  acurafe 
«5bserver,  and  a  lucid  expositor,  in  every  department  and  branch  of  his 
business  ;  and  whether  he  treats  of  the  competency  of  manager  or  work- 
man, the  reader  perceives  that  he  speaks  from  the  authority  of  sn  ex- 
j)crience,  drawn  from  paternal  initiation,  and  long  familiarity  with  his 
[)rofes;iou  in  England  as  well  as  in  our  States.  He  has  rendered  his 
work  doubly  useful  and  interesting  by  uniting  the  subject  of  the  manu- 
facture of  broad  cloths  and  cassimeres  to  the  complete  exposition 
of  the  art  of  Dying 

"  It  is  not  my  purpose  at  present  to  enter  into  a  review  of  (he  work 
of  this  eminent  artist ;  it  forms  a  closely  printed  volume  of  288  duodeci- 
jno  pages.  Such  an  entertaining  analysis  as  it  would,  however,  prove, 
will,  it  is  hoped,  be  accomplished  by  some  more  comjjetent  judge,  i 
will  only  remark  that  more  than  ordinary  praise  is  due  Mr.  Partridge  ; 
and  that  he  is  particularly  entitled  to  the  patronage  of  the  community 
to  which  he  belongs  as  an  adopted  citizen  ;  for  he  has  cheerfully  im- 
parled without  reserve  or  national  prejudice,  the  means  of  improve- 
ment and  extended  advantage,  in  a  branch  of  usefulness,  with  which 
but  few  individuals  in  this  country  are  as  yet  thoroughly  acquainted. 
His  work  is  also  as  worthy  of  the  attention  of  the  learned  as  of  the  art- 
ist. It  is  an  aid  of  decided  importance  to  national  industry,  and  a  va?- 
yable  tribute  to  the  Republic  " 

FELIX  PASCALTS. 
r^ew-York,  Dec.  26,  1823. 


To  his  fellow-citizens  of  (he  United  States  of  America. 

Although  by  birth  and  education  I  am  an  Englishman,  yet  I 
was  taught  from  my  earliest  infancy  to  consider  civil  and  religi- 
ous liberty  as  the  first  of  earthly  blessings.  As  these  inestimable 
privileges  are  more  generally  diffused  and  better  secured  in  tliis 
than  in  any  other  country,  it  has  therefore  been  the  country  of 
my  adoption.  To  assist  in  perpetuating  your  system,  is  my  most 
ardent  desire,  and  I  know  of  no  better  means  than  by  promoting 
internal  industry,  being  convinced  that  an  idle  and  necessitous 
population  is  the  main  pillar  of  tyranny ! !  That  your  populatioH 
is  already  too  aumewno  for  the  uieuus  or  employment  will  not  be 
disputed — can  it  then  be  good  policy  to  pay  twenty  million  of  dol- 
lars annually  for  foreign  labour,  and  permit  your  own  citizens  to 
remain  idle  for  want  of  employment  ?  This  is  a  political  absurdity 
we  could  not  give  credence  to,  were  not  its  existence  proved  by 
^aily  experience  ! '.  If  this  work  should  contribute  in  the  smallest 
degree  towards  establishing  one  branch  of  manufacture,  that  will 
find  employment  for  three  or  four  hundred  thousand  of  your  popu- 
lation, it  will  not  be  considered  as  useless,  and  the  author  will  be 
amply  repaid  in  the  satisfaction  of  having  done  his  duty  as  an  adop- 
ted citizen. 


ERRATA. 

?age   49,  line  10,  for  require,  read  acquire. 

64,  line  20,  lonf^est  pullies,  read  largest. 

■•■        84,  line  18,  for  treated  in,  read  heated  in. 

97,  line  16,  for  observations,  r««rf  aberration^. 

106,  line  28,  for  band,  rearf  barrel. 

116,  line  16,  for  valuableness,rco J  variableness. 

121,  line  13,  for  opinion  given,  read  opinion  now  given — 14,  fo^ 

greater  importance,  read  great  importance. 

126,  line  28^  for  portion  of  cloth,  read  portion  of  both. 

131,  line  23,  for  moued,  read  mosed. 

132,  line    7,  for  score,  read  scoured. 

193,  line    1,  leave  out  first  sentence  beginning  with  "was  thii 

wool,  fcc" 
— —  197,  line  31,  for  dying,  read  drying. 
216,  line  26,  for  scour,  read  sour. 

-  21T,    line  ^T)  fv»r  one)  JivUo  It,  irtfaA  ant\  divided. 

. 226,  line    5,  for  to  black,  read  to  bleach, 

276,  Hne  33j  for  there  are  not,  r«ad  they  areno'f,. 


INDEX. 


B 


uneven 


Air  store  for  wool  drying 
American  dje  drug^ 
Alder  bark 

Braying  or  scouring  dannels 
Biei-s  to  warp 
Bobbin,  winding 
Braying  by  steam. 
Burling  of  cloth 
Brushing  of  cloth 
Brazil  wood 
Black  djing 
Blue  black,  to  dye 
Black  jet,  to  dye 
Black,  to  prevent  being 
Black  wool,  to  dye 
Black  wool,  for  mixtures 
Black  on  cotton 
Black  on  cotton  ^ 

Black  on  silk 
Blue,  to  dye  in  vat 
Blue,  dyed  in  furnace 
Blue  on  cotton 
Blue  on  silk 
Buff  on  cloth 
Buff,  to  dye  on  wool 
Buff  on  cotton 
Brimstone  on  cotton 
Brown,  to  dye  on  cloth 
Brown,  to  dye  on  woo 
Brown,  olive,  on  wool 
Brown,  on  cotton 
Bleaching  cotton 


Chemical  operations  in  woollen  factories 
Cards,  quality  of,  for  scribblers,  &c. 
Chain  weight  of,  &c.  for  broads  * 

1* 


Chain  we%ht  of,  fcr  cassimeres 

Courses  at  ^g'-mill,  for  felts 

Cleaning  wool  and  cloth,  for  dving 

Chemick,  to  make 

Cochineal,  how  to  choose  • 

Camwood 

Cloth,  saving  the  lists 

Cloth,  wrinkles  in  dv  log 

Cloth,  for  blue,  boiled  in  cutbear 

Cotton,  to  dye  blue 

Compound  colours 

Cinnamon  on  cloth 

Cinnamon  on  wool 

Cinnamon  on  cotton 

Chocolate  on  cotton 

Colours,  compounded  of  red  and  blue 

Crimson,  to  dye  on  cloth 

Crimson,  to  dye  on  wool 

Claret  on  cloth  .  > 

Claret  on  wool 

Corbeau  on  wool 

Chemical  bleaching  of  cotton 

D 
Drying  of  wool 
Diy  ing  of  cloth 
"Dying  of  cloth 
Dyers'  weed 
Dye  woods,  to  prepare 
Drab  on  cloth 
Drab  on  wool 
Drabs,  red,  to  dye 
Drabs,  yellow 
Drabs,  pearl,  to  dye 
Drabs,  green 
Drab,  on  cotton 
Drab,  on  silk 
I>ouble  colours,  on  woollen 

£ 
Effects  of  water  on  dying 
Ebony  green  . 

Factories,  American,  too  large 

Fire  stove  for  wool  drying 

Fulling  of  cloth,  with  soap 

Fulling-stoek 

Fulling  cloth  with  urine 

FolliDg  with  CastOe  soap 


Fulling-  with  steam  heat 
Fustic,  old  .  .  >> 

Fustic,  young  , 

Furnaces,  &c.  for  dying  , 

Furnaces  to  set  .  -» 

Ferments  used  in  blue  dying 
Furnace  blues 
Fawn  colour  on  cloth 
Fawn     do.     on  wool 
Fawn  on  silk 

G 
Gig-mill,  American,  very  imperfect 
Gig-mill,  barrel  of 
Gig-mill,  handle  frames 
Goods  to  prepare  for  dying 
Green,  true,  on  cloth 
Green,  grass  colour        , 
Green,  true,  on  wool  * 

Green,  blue,  to  dye         •  ^ 

Green,  bottle,  to  dye 
Green,  yellow,  to  make 
Green,  bronze,  to  dye 
Green,  olive,  to       do.  . 

Green,  bottle,  bronze  hue  . 

Greens,  red,  to  dye 
Green  on  cotton 
Green,  olive,  on  cotton  » 

Green,  silk,  to  dye         •  ., 

Green,  saxon,  on  silk 
Green,  olive,  on  silk 


Hats,  to  dye  black  ». 

] 
Itinerancy  of  dyers 
Indigo,  how  to  choose 
Indigo-plant,  substitute  for  woad 
Imperial  blue,  to  dye 

Jennies,  American,  too  small 

L 

Lixivium,  for  scouring  wool 

Logwood,  qualities  of 

Lilac  on  wool  ,  ^ 

Lilac  on  cotton 

London  smoke  on  wool 


H 


rage 

96 

147 

148 

171 

174 

,      209 

212 

f 

252 

• 

253 

^ 

.     254 

32 

100 

101 

171 

227 

228 

229 

231 

233 

244 

ib. 

235 

236 

ib. 

>     ib. 

237 

238 

>      ib. 

k             ib. 

i         '. 

31 

i 

123 

i 

143 

i 

158 

'. 

262 

33 

46 
146 

264 
265 
27J 


8 


M 

MacliinerT,  American,  defectire 
Mixing  of  coloured  and  white  wool 
Manag-ers,  erroneous  opinion  of 
Mordants  used  in  dying 
Madder,  qualities  of 
Mang-eet,  properties  of 
Maple  bark 
Morone  on  silk 
Mulberry  on  cloth 
Mulberry  on  wool 
Mulberry  on  silk 
Morone  on  silk 


Page 


Napping  of  cloth 


N 
O 


Oiling  of  wool 

Oil,  properties  of,  for  wool 

Oil,  from  seeds,  grown  in  America 

Oiling  of  cloth 

Oak  saw  dust 

Orange  to  dye  on  cloth 

Orange  after  scarlet 

Orange  on  flannel 

Orange  on  wool  .  . 

Orange  on  cotton 


Pressing  and  packing  of  cloth 

Peachwood 

Purple  to  dye  on  cloth 

Purple  on  wool 

Purple  to  dye  on  cotton 

Purple,  common,  on  cotton 

Pink  to  dye  on  cloth 

Pink  to  dye  on  wool 

Pink  to  dye  on  silk 

Paris  mud  on  wool 


R 


Redwood 

Reddish  brown  black 

Red  to  colour  on  woollens 

Red  on  flannel 

Red  on  baize 

Red,  without  tin  liqun 

Red  on  cotton 

Red  on  &ilk 


9 


s 

Stapling"  of  wool  .  ; 

Scouring-  of  wool 

Scribbling  and  carding 

Slubbing  .  . 

Spinning-  .  .  ^ 

Sheep,  merino,  to  improve  the  wool 

Scouring  liquor,  heat  of 

Snapping-  machine 

Sizing-  the  warp 

Shearing  of  cloth 

Scouring  with  urine  before  dyin< 

Scarlet,  new  preparation  for 
Shell -lac 

Silk  to  dye  blue 
Silk  to  dye  sapphire  blue 
Silk,  a  mazarine  blue 
Soap  lees  for  lather 
Sulphuring-  woollen 
Scarlet  on  woollen 
Scarlet,  Nash's,  to  dye 
Scarlet,  with  shell-lac 
Scarlet  to  dye  on  silk 
Scarlet,  mock,  on  silk 
Salmon  colour  on  cotton 
Gtx-aw  colour  on  silk 


Twilling  of  wool 

Tentering  of  cloth         * 

Tin  liquors,  to  make 

Turmeric 

Tea  brown  on  wool 

Urine,  properties  of       . 

Vitriol  and  indigo,  to  mix 
Vessels  for  scarlet,  &c. 
Vats  to  construct 
Vats,  to  measure  contents  of 
Vat  woad,  out  of  order 


U 


V 


w 

Woollen  factories,  management  of 
Woi*kmen,  employment  of 
Waste  in  factories 
Wool,  choice,  and  properties  of 


Page 

42 
43 
58 
61 
ib. 
38 
48 
64 
74 
111 
131 
137 
142 
213 
214 
ib. 
ib. 
226 
239 
243 
244 
245 
ib. 
248 
ib. 

53 
110 
134 
142 
270 

47 

138 

16S 
164 
200 

207 

25 
27 
34 
;37 


10 


Warping 

Weaving 

Wool,  Portuguese,  Spanish,  &c. 

Wool,  condition  of,  to  be  attended  to 

Wool,  Saxony 

Wool,  scouring  and  washiDg  of 

Wool,  dying  of 

Wool,  pickin?^  of 

Wool,  oiling  of 

Washing  cloth,  after  fulling 

Water,  effects  of,  on  dving 

Weld 

Wuad.  to  make 

Woad,  substitute  for 

White  on  cloth 

Wme  colour  on  cloth 

Wine  colour  on  wool 

Yam.  how  calculated 

Yaru  skeins  and  runs,  length  of 

Yellow  black,  to  dye 

Yellow  on  woollen 

Ye  How  on  wool 

Yellow  on  lift 

Yellow    u  f  ?noQ 

Tellow  «n  aiik  . 


Page 

67 

75 

37 

41 

42 

44 

49 

53 

lb. 

94 

116 

147 

148 

158 

224 

258 

259 

62 
65 
182 
220 
221 
222 
ib. 
393 


INTRODUCTION. 


••«» 


THE  support  of  the  woollen  manufacture  has  been  a  primary 
object  with  several  European  governments,  more  particularly  so 
with  England,  where  such  duties  have  been  laid  on  foreign  articles 
of  this  description  as  have  amounted  to  a  total  prohibition  ;  but 
whatever  value  may  be  attached  to  it  in  other  countries,  it  is  dou- 
bly valuable  in  this.  The  greater  portion  of  the  population  of 
Europe,  are  too  poor  to  wear  expensive  clothing,  the  cloth  they 
purchase,  being  of  very  inferior  quality,  and  one  suit  will  last 
them  four  or  five  years.  In  this  country  the  poorest  citizen  will 
have  an  annual  suit,  and  mechanics  two,  and  the  cloth  they  wear 
is  of  a  quality  equal  to  what  is  worn  by  the  substantial  farmers  and 
tradesmen  of  England.  I  cannot  much  err,  therefore,  when  I  as- 
sert, that  in  the  article  of  woollen  clothing,  the  inhabitants  of  the 
United  States  consume  in  quantity  and  value,  doubly  as  much  as 
any  other  country  of  the  same  population. 

The  wool  sheared  in  Great  Britain  is  about  one  hundred  and 
forty  millions  of  pounds  annually,  and  the  quantity  imported, 
about  one  hundred  and  sixty  millions,  making  a  grand  total  of 
three  hundred  millions  of  pounds  per  annum.  The  average  value 
of  the  wool  raised  at  home,  is  about  one  shilling  and  twopence  a 
pound,  and  the  imported,  three  shillings  and  sixpence,  taking  the 
latter  at  what  merchants  give  for  it  in  foreign  countries.  Each 
pound  of  English  wool  when  manufactured,  will  be  worth  four 
shillings,  and  the  imported  eleven  shillings,  which  will  be  three 
times  the  original  value,  making  due  allowance  for  the  oil  and 
other  imported  articles  used  in  the  fabrication.  It  will  be  per- 
ceived from  this  concise  statement,  that  England,  for  every  pound 
of  wool  sold  in  a  manufactured  state,  is  benefited  in  twice  the 
amount  of  the  cost  of  the  raw  material.  She  is  enabled,  also,  by 
the  aid  of  capital  and  machinery,  to  turn  out  as  much  work,  with 
a  population  of  five  hundred  thousand,  being  nearly  the  number 
now  employed  in  this  description  of  manufacture,  as  could  have 
been  done  sixty  years  since  by  five  millions ;  nor  do  their  profits 
end  here — agents  are  employed  to  sell  in  foreign  countries,  where 
many  of  them  make  large  fortunes,  and  return  home  to  the  mother 
hive  loaded  with  the  fruit  of  their  enterprise  and  industry.  These 
agents  exchange  manufactured  articles  for  raw  material,  and  sell 
to  a  much  larger  amount,  which  increasing  the  rate  of  exchange, 


12 

other  capitalists,  as  well  as  those  employed  in  commere,  are  ena- 
bled to  make  considerable  profits. 

It  is  in  this  way  that  England  is  enriched  by  her  commerce ;  this 
is  the  talisman  of  her  envied  superiority !  and  she  has  always 
esteemed  her  woollen  manufacture  as  a  principal  source  of  her 
wealth.  There  is,  therefore,  no  manufacture  tlie  establishing  of 
which  is  of  so  much  consequence  to  a  nation  as  the  woollen  in  all 
its  branches — the  articles  made  in  it  are  more  numerous  and  more 
costly  than  in  any  other,  and  among  these,  that  of  broadcloth  and 
cassimere,  stand  conspicuous  for  their  value  and  general  con- 
sumption. Let  it  be  distinctly  understood,  that  every  American 
who  purchase  one  hundred  dollars  worth  of  European  woollens,  is 
contributing  towards  the  support  of  other  countries,  in  the  sum  of 
sixty-six  dollars,  and  impoverishing  his  own  in  exactly  the  same 
amount !  ! 

If  we  reason  from  what  has  taken  place  in  other  countries,  we 
must  acknowledge  that  the  woollen  manufacture  is  the  most  diffi- 
cult of  any  to  establish,  and  the  most  tardy  in  being  brought  to 
perfection,  particularly  in  the  finer  qualities.  That  of  cotton  has 
been  in  existence  only  a  few  years,  whilst  centuries  have  been  oc- 
cupied in  bringing  woollen  to  its  present  state.  Our  manufac- 
turers, therefore,  should  not  be  impatient  because  their  progress 
has  been  slow. 

I  have  no  wish  to  magnify  be^^ond  measure,  the  difficulties  our  - 
manufacturers  have  to  encounter,  yet  it  is  of  primary  consequence 
that  these  should  not  be  underrated.  In  objects  of  less  magni- 
tude, which  can  be  executed  by  the  ingenuity  and  industry  of  in- 
dividuals, little  impediments  to  their  progress  are  easily  seen  and 
as  easily  removed ;  but  in  an  extensive  and  complicated  manufac- 
ture, where  the  operations  are  numerous,  an^  where  each  one 
must  be  well  performed,  in  order  to  compete  successfully  with 
other  nations,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  every  impediment 
should  be  viewed  in  its  full  extent,  and  the  utmost  exertion  em- 
ployed to  remove  it. 

It  requires  two  pounds  six  ounces  of  fleece  wool  of  three-quar- 
ters, and  full  blooded  merino,  that  has  been  well  washed  on  the 
sheep's  back,  to  make  one  yard  of  stout  superfine  broadcloth.  The 
•xpense  in  making,  for  workmanship,  superintendence,  interest 
on  machinery  and  plant,  and  repairs,  is  more  than  owners  of  fac- 
tories are  generally  aware  of.  There  cannot,  in  the  present  state 
of  manufacturing,  be  much  saving  made  by  lowering  of  work- 
men's wages,  I  should  presume  not  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty 
cents  on  each  yard  ;  but  the  value  of  the  goods  may  be  so  much 
improved  by  perfect  workmanship,  as  to  make  the  cloth  fabricated 
from  these  qualities  worth  one  dollar  more  on  each  yard  in  the 
present  depreciated  state  of  the  market,  than  they,  now  generally 
are,  without  adding  to  tke  expense  of  making. 


13 

We  will  take  it  for  granted,  that  woollen  factories,  that  have  been 
well  managed,  with  credit  and  capital  to  purchase  to  the  be-t  ad- 
vantage, were  last  year  making  twenty  per  cent,  on  their  returns, 
which  profit,  so  far  as  1  have  the  means  of  calculating,  comes  pretty 
near  the  truth.  Let  us  see  how  they  will  stand  when  imported 
cloth  is  as  low  as  we  have  reason  to  expect.  Woollen  goods  have 
fallen,  in  England,  within  a  year  past,  about  eight  per  cent.,  and 
exchange  here,  has  fallen  four,  which  makes  the  cloth  market 
twelve  per  cent,  more  against  the  American  manufacturer,  than  it 
was  eighteen  month-j  since.  I  have  recently  received  accounts 
from  an  English  manufacturing  district,  that  fine  wool  has  tallen 
there,  more  tlian  fifteen  per  cent.,  which,  with  the  bounty  allowed 
upon  exports,  will  enable  them  to  invoice  the  spring  ^hipments  at 
ten  per  cent,  below  the  late  invoices  If  added  to  this,  the  ex- 
change that  is  now  eight  per  cent.,  should  come  down  to  pai,  our 
best  conducted  manufactories  must  become  losing  concerns.  I 
hope  no  such  crisis  may  take  place,  but  as  the  event  is  by  do 
means  improbable,  the  manufacturers  should  endeavour  to  meet  it, 
by  making  their  goods  so  perfect,  and  by  putting  their  establish- 
ments on  such  an  economical  footing,  as  may  then  enable  them  to 
support  a  com.-etition. 

There  are  three  leading  defects  in  most  of  the  cloths  made  in 
this  country.  The  wool  is  not  well  scribbled,  the  warps  are  too 
crowded,  and  the  nap  is  not  more  than  half  raised.  Scribbling  is 
too  often  neglected  in  England,  as  well  as  in  this  counti*y  ;  it  ought 
to  be  scribbled  twice  ;  this  is  done  by  a  few  of  the  best  English 
manufacturers,  and  it  wonderfully  improves  the  fabric,  it  spins 
better,  is  softer^  more  free  from  nips,  and  indeed  works  better  in 
every  succeeding  operation.  The  scribblers  in  the  west  of  Eng- 
land are,  however,  only  single  machines,  and  here  they  are  gene- 
rally double — the  wool  ought,  therefore,  to  be  as  well  scribbled 
here  at  one  operation,  as  it  is  there  a'  two.  provided  the  machines 
are  as  well  made,  and  worked  with  equal  ability. 

Wool  of  middling  quality  is,  in  England,  spun  into  skeins  of 
eighteen  to  twenty  the  pound,  for  the  abb,  and  from  twenty- four 
to  twenty-five  for  the  warp,  for  stout  broadcloth.  The  skein  be- 
ing three  hundred  and  twenty  yards.  This  quality  is  generally  set 
on  the  loom  eleven  and  a  half  quarters,  and  seveiittcn  hundred,  or 
eighty-five  bier — each  bier  containing  thirty-eight  threads.  For 
fine  quality  wool,  many  of  the  best  n)anufacturers  spin  the  abb  no 
finer  than  for  the  middling  quality,  though  the  warp  is  spun  five 
skeins  finer,  and  the  chain  is  warped  eighteen  hundred,  and  set  on 
the  loom  twelve  quarters.  The  fine  quality  may  be  set  the  same 
width  on  the  loom  as  the  middling,  but  the  bier  must  be  lowered. 
The  strength  of  the  fabric  lies  in  the  warp,  but  when  tliis  is  too 
much  crowded,  the  weaver  cannot  drive  in  sufficient  filling  to  af- 


14 

ford  a  thick  nap^is  tbis  is  almost  altogether  derived  from  tbe 
fijliog;.  ti 

When  cloth  is  OTrrectly  and  faithfully  made  in  the  loom,  the 
workmanship  will  he  thro^vn  away,  unless  the  nap  is  property  rais- 
ed. In  this  branch  of  the  manufacture,  the  American  fabrics  are 
in  general  miserably  deficient-  I  lately  called  to  examine  the 
prize  cloihs  that  were  purchased  at  the  late  fairs,  fully  exj^ecting 
to  find  it  tolerably  perfect  in  tliis  respect,  but  I  am  sorrj-  to  have 
to  say,  they  did  not  meet  my  expectation.  The  nap  was  thin  and 
straggling,  and  the  threads  plairily  to  be  seen,  without  eren  a  close 
inspection.  The  cloths  were  otherwise  well  made.  This  defect 
belongs  to  almost  every  cloth  I  have  seen,  that  has  been  made  ia 
this  country.  Instead  of  giving  it  a  large  portion  of  dead  and  mid- 
dling work,  the  nap  is  cleared  out  too  soon  with  quick  teazle, 
which  makes  it  easy  to  the  workmen,  but  proves  ruinous  to  the 
manufacturer.  Sucii  goods  when  cat  low  enough  to  make  a  short 
nap,  will  leave  the  cloth  thread-bare,  and  when  left  too  long,  the 
face  will  be  covered  with  a  rough,  uncouth  nap.  Cloth  will  stand 
a  larare  portion  of  dead  and  middling  work,  without  injuring  the 
fabric,  and  the  more  it  has  in  moderation,  the  finer  and  softer  tbe 
fa«^e  will  be ;  but  it  is  very  liable  to  be  damaged  when  new  tea- 
zles are  employed ;  and  when  these  are  used,  which  should  always 
be  towards  the  end  of  the  operation,  care  must  be  taken  not  to^ 
give  more  than  the  fabric  will  bear. 

Those  who  are  conversant  with  the  imported  cloth  market, 
must  have  seen  that  fine  cloths  made  from  the  same  quality  wool, 
will  command  very  different  prices,  tliat  there  will  be  from  one  to 
two  dollars  per  yard  difference  in  the  value.  TTiis  increased  value 
IS  the  result  of  perfect  workmanship:  and  those  manufacturers  who 
have  succeeded  in  making  the  most  perfect  ai  tide,  have  accumu- 
lated lars'e  fortunes,  whilst  others  who  have  made  them  inferior, 
have  not  much  increased  their  capitals.  This  is  by  no  means  sur- 
prising, when  we  note  that  the  difference  in  the  value  of  tbe  goods 
pays  fbr  the  whole  expense  of  making.  A  similar  difference  is 
observable  between  the  cloth  fabricated  in  this  country ;  and  sure- 
Iv  this  important  fact  ouglit  to  convince  every  manufacturer  of 
the  necessity  of  making  perfect  goods. 

The  fulling  and  dressing  of  cloth  requires  great  attention.  In 
milling  of  blues,  it  is  a  good  method  first  to  scour  them  out,  before 
fulling,  with  a  little  thin  soap  and  water,  new  laying  them  in  the 
stocks  and  scouring  this  with  water  clean  away,  going  with  them 
about  an  hour,  this  will  rid  them  of  a  great  deal  of  filth  and  lime, 
and  the  felting  wiU  afterwards  go  on  better. 

I  have  given  instructions  for  raising  the  nap  after  the  manner 
generally  practised  by  the  west  of  England  manufacturers  twentj 
years  ago.     Since  tliis  work  has  been  in  press,  I  have  received  in^ 


15 

formation  from  a  respectable  maker,  from  the  sITme  quarter,  giving 
an  account  of  the  process  now  pursued  by  their  most  celebrated 
manufacLnrers.  This  process  will  occupy  more  time,  and  consume 
more  teazle  than  the  former.  In  raising,  they  give  from  twenty 
to  twenty-five  mill-fuil  of  work,  beginning  with  the  deadest  and 
proceeding'  to  the  quickest.  The  cloth  should  be  rather  dry  at  the 
beginning,  and  kept  so  nearly  to  tlie  quick  work.  If  too  dry,  the 
flock  will  be  seen  to  fly  off  like  dust,  then  it  must  be  slightly 
moistened ;  but  with  the  quick  work  it  must  be  kept  quite  wet, 
and  the  wool  should  be  changed  once  or  twice  every  mill-full. 

An  opinion  that  ^loth  can  be  better  raised  by  hand  than  by  the 
gig-mill,  is  prevalent  among  the  woollen  manufactures  of  this 
count ry,  which  is  truly  an  unfortunate  impression,  and  one  that  is 
highly  uijurious  to  the  manufactuiing  interest.  I  will  venture  to 
assert,  without  teai-  of  contradiction,  that  there  is  no  celebrated 
maker  of  fine  broadcloth  in  any  part  of  England,  whose  raising  is 
not  performed  by  the  gig-mill. 

Manufacturers  who  put  as  much  stock  in  their  cloth,  as  I  have 
directed,  may  hear  an  occasional  complaint  of  their  being  too 
stout -,  this  objcotioa  arises  from  defective  raising  ;  for  were  tiie 
clolli  done  justice  to  at  the  gig-mill,  they  would  never  be  com- 
plained of;  but  when  the  wool  lies  in  the  ground  instead  of  being 
placed  on  the  surface  by  raising,  and  there  cut  down  very  low, 
the  cloth  instead  of  handling  mellow,  will  feel  hard  and  stiff.  To 
this  cause  must  be  attributed  the  objection  generally  made  to 
American  cloth  when  fabi-icated  with  a  full  body.  The  French 
and  v^ermans,  particularly  the  latter,  put  more  stock  in  their  clotii 
tlian  the  English,  the  substance  being  reduced  by  raising  to  any 
fitanuard  their  market  may  want. 

I  have  mentioned  under  the  head  oil,  after  having  described  the 
properties  of  such  as  can  be  used  on  wool,  that  neaily  all  the  fish 
oils  were  unfit  for  the  purpose.  I  have  since  received  such  in- 
formation from  a  respectable  dealer  in  oiL  as  to  induce  me  to  be- 
Jieve  that  the  best  sperm  will  ariswer  for  oiling  cf  the  finest  quali- 
ty wool.  This  dealer  informs  me  that  no  oil  will  combine  Uiore 
readily  with  the  volatile  alluili,  that  it  is  the  least  drying  of  any 
known  oil,  and  that  it  has  been  brouglit  into  disrepute  among  wool- 
len manufacturers,  by  hnving  been  adulterated — it  being  commonly 
mixed  by  disreputable  traders,  with  other  fish  oils  that  is  cheaper 
and  less  pure.  This  gentleman  has  served  many  of  the  first  fac- 
tories with  fine  sperm  that  has  been  found  to  answer  perfectly 
well.  If  this  be  correct,  which  from  the  intelligence  and  respecta- 
bility of  my  informant,  I  have  no  reason  to  doubt,  the  vvooi^ea 
factories  may  be  supplied  with  a  good  article  at  little  more  than 
half  the  price  of  gahpoli,  provided  they  purchase  of  such  dealers 
as  will  give  them  a  genuine  and  prime  article. 


16 

I  believe  this  is  the  only  work  in  the  English  language  on  the 
mauufacturing-  of  broadcloth  and  cassimere,  none  other  having 
ever  come  under  my  notice.  I  hare  endeavoured  to  give  every 
instruction  that  is  necessary  to  the  well  performance  of  the  busi- 
ness in  the  plainest  language,  and  sufficiently  clear  and  ample  for 
the  most  ignoraut  to  follow.  That  nothing  might  be  wanting  to 
make  the  work  complete,  I  have  obtained  the  latest  and  most  ap- 
proved modes  of  making  those  fabrics  from  the  west  of  England, 
and  have  added  a  table  of  all  that  is  requisite  to  guide  the  manu- 
facturer. Some  of  the  information  has  been  received  since  this 
introduction  was  began,  and  I  considered  it  would  be  useful  to 
give  it  in  this  part  of  the  work.  There  will  be  various  opinions 
given  by  European  workmen  on  the  mode  of  making  th-cse  goods, 
some  will  be  recommending  one  system,  and  some  another,  which 
serves  to  show  there  is  considerable  latitude  in  the  practice  pur- 
sued in  other  countries,  as  well  as  in  this.  The  system  I  have 
given  is  such  as  is  followed  by  the  best  Gloucestershire  manufac- 
turers, and  if  inquiry  be  made  among  the  importers  of  fine  wool- 
lens, it  will  be  found  that  the  cloths  imported  from  that  county, 
are  fully  equal  to  those  brought  from  any  other  part  of  England, 
this  system  must,  consequently,  be  as  good  as  any  practised  in  that 
country,  and  well  worthy  the  attention  of  American  manufacturers. 

There  are  several  works  extant  on  the  art  of  dying,  but  none 
deserving  of  notice  that  is  sufficiently  practical.  Bancroft  and 
Cooper  were  not  practical  dyers,  th.erefore,  it  could  not  be  expect- 
ed they  should  give  the  minutia  of  the  art,  which  defect  renders 
their  works  almost  useless  to  the  greater  number  of  dyers.  To  be 
merely  informed  of  the  materials  necessary  to  produce  a  given 
colour,  can  never  make  a  dyer,  it  is  equally  necessary  that  every 
part  of  the  workmanship  should  be  given,  and  herein  all  works 
hitherto  published  on  the  art  have  been  deficient.  The  time  of 
boiling  the  dj'e  wares,  of  running  the  cloth  in  the  furnace,  and  of 
boiling  it  therein  :  the  preparing  of  different  solutions  preparatory 
to  dying,  and  many  other  particulars  that  may  appear  trifling  to 
persons  unacquainted  with  the  practice,  is  as  essential  to  the  pro- 
duction of  colour  as  is  the  receipts  for  dying.  Those  who  have 
read  the  above-named  authors,  must  have  observed  that  they  pre- 
scribe a  given  quantity  of  mordant  in  proportion  to  the  weight  of 
the  goods  dyed,  without  any  reference  to  the  colour,  or  to  the 
state  of  the  goods.  There  are  but  two  colours  that  will  admit  of 
the  portion  prescribed  by  them  being  used,  which  are  red  and 
yellow — were  one-fourth  or  one-fifth  of  alum  used  in  general,  it 
would  ruin  the  colours,  and  if  that  portion  were  used  on  wool,  it 
could  never  be  wrought  into  cloth.  Alum  and  other  mordants 
produce  a  specific  effect  on  every  colouring  matter  emplo\'ed  in 
2iying,  and  the  quaatit\^  used  must  be  in  proportion  to  the  hue  of 


17 

the  colour  intended  to  be  obtained,  consequently,  no  general  rule 
can  be  laid  down. 

Doctor  Cooper's  treatise  is  Hltogetber  a  compilation  selected 
from  alinost  every  author  that  has  ever  vv^ritten  on  the  art,  but 
principally  from  Hcllot  aud  other  old  French  writers,  whose  works 
have  been  published  many  years,  and  whose  formula  have  been 
long-  exploded.  That  the  Doctor  was  never  practically  engaged 
in  woollen-dying,  maybe  inferred  from  the  fact  that  in  every  in- 
stance where  he  has  given  his  own  opinion,  it  is  uniformly  erro- 
neous. 

Doctor  Bancroft's  work  is  intrinsically  valuable  to  the  scientific 
artist,  and  has  been  the  means  of  introducing  great  improvements 
in  the  practice  of  dying  and  calico  printing,  but  as  all  his  experi- 
ments were  made  on  a  very  minute  scale,  it  is  of  no  value  as  a  dy- 
er's text  book. 

The  receipts  I  hare  given  for  dying  are  such  as  are  used  in  the 
west  of  England,  and  are,  what  we  term,  the  best  mode  of  dying. 
It  will  be  understood,  that  we  have  in  Europe,  two  sort  of  dyes, 
one  of  common  colours,  that  are  employed  on  low  priced  goods,  and 
another  of  a  superior  kind,  that  are  used  on  goods  of  a  better  qual- 
ity. Those  I  have  given  are  of  the  best  kind,  all  taken  from  actual 
receipts  now  in  my  possession,  with  the  original  patterns  attached 
to  them.  It  will  be  observed  that  some  of  the  materials  used  there, 
are  not  much  known  in  this  country,  such  are  weld,  barwood,  and 
green  ebony.  The  best  substitute  for  weld,  so  far  as  it  regards 
colour,  is  the  quercitron,  or  black  oak  bark,  which  affords  a  colour 
equally  as  good  as  the  other,  but,  being  a  powerful  astringent,  it 
does  not  leave  the  wool  so  soft  as  the  weld.  Barwood  is  undoubt- 
edly the  best  dye  among  all  the  red  woods  for  browns,  aud  many 
other  colours  requiring  a  red  body.  Camwood  is  genei-ally  employ- 
ed as  a  substitute  in  this  country.  Green  ebony  gives  a  strong 
greenish  yellow,  and  no  other  dye-stuff  Avill  produce  exactly  the 
same  shade  of  colour.  The  red  wood  sold  here  is  very  different 
from  that  which  bears  the  same  name  in  England. 

There  is,  in  this  country,  a  deficiency  in  many  dying  materials 
which  renders  it  difficult  for  our  dyers  to  equal  the  Englisli.  The 
mordant,  called  argol,  is  but  little  known  here.  There  is  a  great 
range  in  the  quality  of  this  article,  and  as  great  a  difference  in  the 
price;  sometimes  the  most  inferior  quality  will  answer  a  better 
purpose  than  the  best,  while  in  other  colours  the  finest  is  required. 
It  is  seldom  that  more  than  one  quality  of  madder  is  seen  here,  and 
this  has  to  be  used  for  every  description  o^  colour.  In  my  receipts 
it  will  be  perceived  that  mull  madder  is  sometimes  prescribed,  and 
at  other  times,  ombre,  gamcne,  and  crop.  How  it  has  happened 
that  only  one  quality  has  fo>ind  its  way  to  this  country,  I  am  at  a 
loss  to  divine ;  but,  however  it  may  have  occurred,  the  want  of  the 

2* 


18 

various  qualities,  is  a  serious  injury  to  our  dying  establishmentSk 
Wii.ii  iiue  ombre  is  piescribed,  in  any  receipt,  the  madder  usual- 
ly sold  here  v/ill  answer,  it  being-  of  that  qualily;  but  when  mull 
is  prescribed,  it  will  be  necessarj  to  use  a  much  smallei'  quantity 
than  is  mentioned  in  the  I'eceipt,  and  even  then,  it  will  not  produce 
the  same  colour,  VV^hen  fine  (irop  is  directed  to  be  used,  which  is 
always  the  case  in  fioe  madder  reds,  the  dyer  will  not  be  able  to 
find  a  substitute  excepting-  in  tlie  expensive  article  of  cochineal. 

There  is  another  serious  impediment  wliich  must  operate  ag-ainst 
American  dyers  that  I  was  not  aware  of  till  I  began  the  d}e-drug 
business,  in  looking  round  the  city  of  Ne.w-York  with  a  view  to 
purcliase  dye-woods,  I  found  much  that  was  offered  for  sale  was 
miserable  stuff,  totally  unfit  for  the  use  of  the  dyer.  Some  lots  of 
fustic,  nicaragua,  and  camwood,  were  worth  little  more  than  for 
fire- wood,  aud  should  these  find  their  way  to  our  dying  establish- 
ments, it  must  prov«  ruinous  to  the  consumer.  The  logwood  is 
g-enerally  of  a  good  -quality. 

To  colour  a  permanent  blue  is  the  most  difficult  process  in  dy- 
ing. All  other  colours  may  be  done  by  a  receipt,  and  when  once 
Avell  performed,  may  be  repeated  with  the  utmost  certainty,  pro- 
vided the  water  and  dying  wares  are  the  same ;  buf  it  is  not  so  with 
woad  dying,  in  this  a  constant  judgment  is  required.  It  depends 
altogether  on  a  given  stage  of  fermentation  being  equally  and  con- 
stantly preserved,  and  as  this  is  ever  liable  to  vary  from  a  variety 
of  causes,  the  operatimi  is  thereby  rendered  very  difficult. 

It  was  recently  announced  in  the  papers  that  at  the  Staten-Isl- 
and  d^'e-house,  they  had  discovered  a  mode  of  fixing  the  Prussian 
bine  so  as  to  prevent  its  turning  green  by  the  action  of  the  fixed 
alkalies.  As  this  would  be  a  grand  desideratum  m  the  art,  I  felt 
much  interested  in  the  result,  and  have  been  anxiously  expecting 
to  hear  a  confirmation  of  this  invaluable  discovery.  It  was  made 
known  by  Doctor  Bancroft,  many  years  ago,  that  woollen  could 
be  dyed  blue  of  a  much  more  brilliant  colour  than  with  indigo,  by 
immersing  it  first  in  a  solution  of  prussiate  of  pot-ash,  aud  then  ia 
a  solution  of  green  copperas  ;  but  as  it  was  foimd  that  the  colour 
turned  to  a  greenish  drab,  -when  it  came  in  contact  with  any  of  the 
alkalies,  and  as  this  cliange  was  the  eficct  of  a  law  of  nature,  call- 
ed chemical  action,  there  has  been  scarcely  any  subsequent  at- 
tempts made,  by  scientific  artists,  to  fix  the  cok)ur.  As,  however, 
many  other  discoveries  equally  as  improbable  as  this,  have  been 
made  during  the  progress  of  chemical  science,  I  was  inclined  to 
^ive  credence  to  theirs,  and  still  hope  they  have  experienced  no 
disappointment. 

In  England  tfee  woad  dyers  are  stationa^ry ;  the  woad  is  regu- 
larly purchased  from  some  celebrated  maker  %vho,  from  long-  prac- 
tical experietice,  has  been  able  to  raise  the  plaut,  and  manufac- 
ture it  in  one  uniform  wav.     The  lime  is  obtained  from  iwe  same 


19 

wtaker,  and  is  always  of  the  same  kind  and  of  uniform  strength-; 
the  ferments  are  obtained  of  the  same  regular  quality,  and  when  a 
<Iyer  is  once  well  acquainted  with  the  art,  he  is  able  to  work  with 
very  few  failures,  and  these  are  seldom  carried  to  excess.  In  this 
country  the  case  is  reversed,  it  rarely  occurring  that  woad  can  be 
obtained  from  two  houses  of  the  same  strength  and  quality.  Some 
is  raised  in  America,  and  some  is  imf»orted  ;  thai  which  is  raised 
in  this  country,  and  much  thai  is  imported,  being  what  is  called 
weak  woad,  which  sells  in  England  at  fifty  per  cent,  less  than  that 
which  is  strong.  The  difference  in  tiie  quality  arises  from  the  one 
being  raised  on  land  of  the  strongest  kind,  that  has  been  in  pas- 
ture many  years,  and  the  other  on  arable  land,  that  has  been  weak- 
ened by  corn-crops  and  was  probably  never  of  the  strongest  kind. 
The  lime  obtained  in  the  ditTerent  states  is  of  unequal  strength, 
and  does  not  spend  in  equal  time ;  the  ferments  vary  according  to 
the  state  of  the  stones  in  which  the  gram  is  ground,  and  to  the  qual- 
ity of  the  madder  used ;  but  when  all  these  are  uniformly  perfect, 
the  woad-dyer  has  still  difficulties  to  encounter  that  he  never  ex- 
periences in  Europe.  There  the  dying  is  mostly  performed  by 
public  dyers,  and  when  vats  are  out  of  order,  Avhich  they  are  ever 
liable  to  be,  the  operator,  quietly  and  at  his  leisure,  brings  them 
again  to  work.  In  this  country  it  is  done  at  factories,  and  if  any 
thing  happens  to  retard  the  working  of  a  vat,  the  operator  is  look- 
ed upon  with  a  suspicious  eye,  and  many  disagreeable  reflections 
are  thrown  out  against  his  capacity,  which  generally  urges  him  on 
to  hasty  measures  that  frequently  produces  a  tatal  failure. 

European  dyers  have  had  to  contend  with  anotlier  difficiilty  that 
is  not  so  easily  accounted  for.  They  will,  in  some  situations,  be 
unable  to  work  at  all,  and  in  others,  will  work  well  for  a  short  pe- 
riod, and  then  will  be  unable  to  proceed  without  any  of  the  usual 
defects  appearing.  An  instance  of  the  former  case  occurred  very 
recently  at  Pleasant  Valley.  An  Irish  woad  dyer,  who  has  since 
proved  himself  to  be  a  first  rate  workman,  set  a  vat  there  and  could 
not  progress  in  the  working  of  it,  nor  could  he  in  any  way  account 
for  the  failure;  the  contents  of  the  vat  was,  of  course,  lost  by  him. 
After  sustaining  this  Joss,  which  amounted,  including  his  own  time, 
to  nearly  two  hundred  dollars,  he  went  to  West  Bloomfield,  Niew- 
Jersey,  wbere  he  has  been  eminently  successful.  I  have  under- 
taken the  woad  dying  at  three  different  places  in  this  country  with 
various  success.  During  the  late  war  I  was  engaged  at  the  steam 
factory  in  Providence,  Rhode-Island,  where  I  worked  two  vats  for 
nearly  three  years  with  uniform  success.  In  the  year  1821,  I 
went  to  the  West  Bloomfield  factory,  v/liere  I  worlced  two  vats  for 
several  montlis,  without  having  them  much  out  of  order;  but  the 
colours  were  wealc,  owing  to  the  woad  being  «f  bad  quality.  Soon 
after  the  vats  were  set,  I  informed  the  owners  they  must  not  ex- 
r>ect  strong  colours,  such  as  were  imported.     I  have  since  been  al 


an  establishment  in  Columbia  Connty,  State  of  New-York,  where 

I  succeeded  for  three  months,  and  made  very  superior  colours,  but 
could  not  afterwards  work  them.  Two  or  three  times  I  left  my 
vats  in  g-ood  order  at  nig'ht,  and  found  them  out  of  order  in  the 
morning,  and  in  a  way  I  had  never  seen  any  before.  The  last  day 
I  attempted  to  work  there,  f  had  broug-ht  a  vat  round  that  had 
been  over  limed  by  forcing-  it  with  bran-bags,  so  as  to  produce  a 
g-ood  g-reen  at  twelve  o^clock  at  noon,  and  it  kept  improving  till 
the  last  stirring  at  night ;  in  the  morning  it  was  entirely  off  its 
work,  and  appeared  like  a  vat  that  had  been  over-limed,  although 
]  had  given  it  nohe.  I  shall  leave  it  to  practical  woad  dyers  to 
decide  how  this  could  happen  I  ! 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  any  failure  should  occur  in  woad-dying, 
it  having  a  tendency  to  bring  it  into  disrepute  with  the  manufac- 
turer, for  the  colours  produced  by  the  ash-dye  are  so  miserable  as 
to  stand  no  competition  With  the  best  imported.  Blue  is  a  prevail- 
ing colour  in  the  United  States  ;  it  is  consequently  of  more  im.por 
tance  than  any  other,  and  every  effort  should  be  made  to  bring  the 
woad  dying  to  perfection.  It  is  not  probable  that  g-ood  woad-dy- 
ers  can  be  obtained  from  Europe  in  sufficient  numbers  to  supply 
*o  many  small  establishments  as  are  scattered  over  this  country  ; 
they  are  scarce  in  Europe,  as  one  dyiug  establishment  does  the 
work  of  a  number  of  large  factories,  and  one  woad-man  is  suffi- 
cient for  the  largest  dye-house.  It  would  be  desirable,  therefore, 
(hat  a  public  dye-house  should  be  commenced,  and  a  first  rate  Eu- 
ropean woad-dyer  emplojed  to  do  the  work,  If  this  were  esta- 
blished, the  blue  wool  could  be  dyed  at  such  a  price  as  would  save 
three  or  four  cents  per  pound  to  the  manufacturer,  independent  of 
paying  the  carriage  backward  and  forward,  which  would  be  a, 
saving  of  from  seven  to  nine  cents  on  each  yard  of  broad  cloth. 
A  public  dye-house  should  be  situated  where  a  sufficient  supply  of 
water  can  be  obtained  for  scouring  and  washing  of  white  wool, 
and  for  washing  of  blue  wool.  It  should  be  near  to  some  naviga- 
ble river,  and  within  a  short  distance  of  the  city  of  New -York,  if 
intended  for  that  and  the  adjoining  states. 

The  blues  coloured  in  this  country  •jught  to  be  superior  to  those 
imported  from  England,  for  the  indigo  used  in  the  blue  vats,  is  of 
a  superior  quality.  That  which  is  consumed  in  England,  is  of  that 
*?lass  known  by  the  name  of  secondary  copperas,  here  they  use  the 
iine  purples ;  the  former  is  a  strong  working  indigo,  but  is  not 
worth  as  much  as  the  latter  by  twenty  per  cent.  There  are  but 
tew  persons  who  are  acquainted  with  the  relative  value  of  the  dif- 
ferent samples  of  indigo.  In  examining  several  chestslheld  for  sale 
in  the  city  of  New- York,  I  found  they  asked  one  shilling  the  pound 
more  for  a  quality  that  was  not  worth  as  much  for  blue  dying  as 
others  tliey  had  valued  at  a  less  price.     Those  who  are  large  con- 


21 

Eumers  of  this  article  would  find  their  account  in  allowing"  a  small 
per  centage  to  a  g-ood  judge  to  make  their  purchases  for  ihem. 

lo  giving  receipts  for  compound  colours,  it  is  difficult  so  to  de- 
signate them,  that  those  who  purchase  the  work  may  have  a  dis- 
tinct idea  of  the  hue  of  each.  The  dyers  three  primitive  colours, 
blue,  red,  and  yellow,  can  be  easily  described,  so  as  not  to  be  mis- 
understood ;  but  in  the  compound  colours,  this  is  not  so  easy,  and 
I  hat^e  felt  the  impediment  very  sensibly  throughout  that  branch 
of  the  work.  I  have  endeavoured,  however,  so  to  describe  them, 
that  every  dyer  may  form  an  idea  of  the  shade  of  each  as  near  as 
can  be  cxplahied  by  language.  This  difficulty  must  exist  in  every 
work  published  on  the  compound  colours.  It  has  been  ascertain- 
ed, that  in  cinnamon  browns  alone  there  are  twenty-two  thousand 
different  shades,  in  nearly  all  these  the  yellow  predominates,  and 
it  is  impossible  to  describe  more  than  three  of  them  in  any  work 
published  on  the  art,  the  light,  the  dark,  and  the  middling  cinna- 
mon :  nor  can  this  difficulty  be  obviated  in  any  other  way  than  by 
attaching  patterns  to  each  receipt,  which  would  make  the  work 
infinitely  laborious  to  the  author,  and  so  expensive  as  to  be  entirely 
beyond  the  reach  of  common  dyers.  I  once  had  an  intention  of 
publishing  on  such  a  plan,  but  I  found  it  could  not  be  sold  for  less 
than  one  hundred  dollars  for  each  copy,  and  that  it  would  occupy 
a  period  of  five  years  to  complete  the  work.  To  obviate  this  dif- 
ficulty, I  am  arranging  nearly  two  thousand  patterns  in  a  large 
book,  in  regular  order,  with  the  design  of  matching  any  that  may 
be  sent  by  dyers  or  manufacturers.  To  those  who  purchase  dye- 
stuffs  of  me,  I  shall  make  no  charge,  but  to  all  others,  fifty  cents 
for  each  pattern  that  is  matched. 

I  have  been  requested  to  give  the  process  of  dying  hats  of  a 
permanent  black,  but  as  this  branch  of  dying  is  out  of  my  province, 
I  cannot  presume  to  attempt  it.  Hats,  when  new,  are  usually  a 
good  black,  but  after  wearing  a  short  time,  they  change  to  a  dir- 
ty brown  colour.  I  should  apprehend  the  colour  might  be  fixed 
so  as  to  be  highly  permanent  by  previously  boiling  them  in  verdi- 
gris and  argol,  and  making  use  of  white  oak  saw  dust  with  the 
logwood  m  colouring  them.  For  the  preparation  liquor,  use  with 
four  pounds  of  verdigris  eight  pounds  of  argol,  or  cream  of  tartar  ; 
boil  these  two  hours  before  the  goods  are  entered,  and  then  scald 
or  boil  the  hats  the  usual  time.  Put  the  colour  on  in  a  separate 
furnace,  with  a  liquor  extracted  from  logwood  and  white  oak  saw 
dust  in  the  proportion  of  twelve  pounds  of  saw  dust  to  ten  of  log- 
wood— blacken  with  copperas  as  usual.  This  mode  of  dying,  will 
not  require  any  nut-galls.  Should  the  colour  be  too  much  on  the 
blue,  use  a  small  quantity  of  alder  bark  or  sumac.  The  hats  will 
have  to  be  washed  after  preparing,  and  before  finishing.  If  white 
<^ak  saw  dust  cannot  be  easily  obtained,  they  may  be  finished  m 


22 

Ihe  usual  compound,  leaying"  out  the  verdigris.  Any  number  may 
be  pruned  in  the  preparatiou  liquor,  which  will  not  injure  by  be- 
ing" kept  for  mouths. 

From  experiments  made  with  the  wild  indigro  plant,  I  have  re- 
coniinciided  its  use  in  a  state  of  decoction  for  the  woad  vat,  in 
place  rf  swiil  from  bran  and  madde»',  and  to  fill  th^  m  up,  vrben 
lowered,  by  working-.  j\Ir.  J  liie,  .1  dver  at  tlic  Steubeuville  fac- 
tory, Ohio,  has  just  informed  me  that  he  has  tried  it  according:  10 
directions  g;iven  by  me,  in  the  Statesman  of  last  year,  and  have 
found  it  hit^lily  beneficial.  He  says  the  vats  woik  steadier,  more 
vigrorously,  and  produce  a  finer  colour  than  wilh  tlie  old  mode  of 
working-.  He  gives  to  those  w!iO  g-ather  the  j>iunt.  five  dollars  tlie 
toD>  delivered  at  the  factors,  which  is  only  one-fourth  of  the  price 
of  bran.  Dyers  will  therefore  find  it  a  valuable  succ^  di?:eum 
uoon  principles  of  economy,  independent  of  the  colour  it  affords. 

I  am  indebted  toaf'ieiul  for  the  article  on  bleaching-  by  the 
chemical  process.  The  g-entleman  from  wliom  I  obtained  it.  is 
more  scientific  than  usually  ftills  to  the  lot  of  practical  artists,  and 
to  this  cause  I  am  probahlv  mdebted  for  the  promptitucle  with 
whioh  my  request  wns  s:ran'?'>d,  and  for  the  liberal  permission  to 
make  use  of  it  in  any  way  moot  advautageaui  to  the  public. 


DYE-STUFFSv 


WILLIAM    PARTRIDGE, 

No.  68  FULTON-STREET, 
JiEJF-YORK, 

HAS  constantly  a  supply  of  English  woad  of  prime  quality, 
camwood,  redwood,  red-sanders,  green  ebony,  barwood,  logwood, 
fustic,  nicaragua,  brazilletto,  alum,  and  copperas,  and  all  other  dye- 
stuffs  warranted,  of  the  best  quality.  Also,  Tat  nets  and  wringing 
clotli. 

Patterns  matched,  and  receipts  sent  to  any  part  of  America  to 
customers  gratis,  to  all  others,  fifty  cents  for  each  pattern.  Intel- 
ligence, relative  to  woollen  manufacturing  and  dying,  will  be  free- 
ly given.  It  is  expected  that  all  letters,  inclosing  patterns,  or 
Eoliciting  information,  will  be  post  paid. 


TREATISE,  &e. 


ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  WOOLLEN  FACTORIES. 

IN  England  the  woollen  factories  are  undertaken  by  persons  Avho 
have  a  competent  knowledg-e  of  the  business,  having-  been  either 
apprenticed  to  it,  or  instructed  by  their  parents,  who  had  fo  Jowr-d  it 
before  them.  In  this  country,  the  capitalists  who  embark  ia  such 
concerns,  have  no  knowledge  of  the  business,  and,  in  many  instan- 
ces, they  employ  managers  nearly  as  ignorant  as  themselves. 

Can  any  concern  be  expected  to  flourish  under  such  circumstan- 
ces ?  It  is  true  they'may  flounder  along  for  a  few  years,  and  if  the 
manager  be  an  ingenious  and  enterprising  character,  and  disposed 
to  apply  all  liis  time  and  attention  to  the  business,  he  may  so  im- 
prove as  he  goes  along,  as  to  keep  pace  with  the  best  the  country 
affords  ;  but  the  greater  number  will  be  sure  to  fall  through,  and 
this  has  already  been  the  case  with  too  many. 

Englishmen  were  generally  employed  to  manage  these  concern? 
when  they  were  first  started,  most  of  them  only  partially  acquaint- 
ed with  the  bunness  ;  but  they  were  willing,  with  that  presump- 
tion which  is  a  prominent  ingredient  in  the  character  of  the  great- 
er number  of  manufacturing  workmen,  to  undertake  the  manage- 
ment of  those  farts  they  were  ignorant  of,  as  well  as  those  with 
which  they  were  acquainted.  The  result  has  been,  that  English 
managers  are  in  disrej)Ute,  and  their  pretensions  are  so  much  duuHt- 
3 


26 

ed,  that  the  most  able  Eng^lish  manufacturer,  should  he  emigrate 
to  this  country,  would  find  it  difficult  to  persuade  the  trade  that  he 
understood  any  thing  about  it. 

It  has  happened  unfortunately  that  very  few  who  are  g-enerally 
acquainted  with  this  manufacture,  bare  emigrated  to  America.  I 
have  known  but  four  from  the  west  of  England — one  of  them  is  in 
partnership  with  the  ^Messrs.  Youngs,  of  Brandy  wine,  another  is 
managing  for  ]Mr.  Shepard,  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  others  re&ide 
in  New-York,  unemployed  in  that  way — such  men  would  do  all  that 
could  be  performed  towards  placing  our  manufactories  on  a  par  with 
the  English. 

The  manager  of  a  woollen  factory  should  always  be  in  the  busi- 
ness, noroughthe  to  be  engaged  in  any  other  pursuit  that  has  a  ten- 
dency to  draw  his  attention  away  from  it ;  he  must  examine  the 
work  as  it  comes  from  the  hands  of  every  workman,  and  must  be 
able  to  distinguish  good  work  from  bad,  nor  must  he  permit  any 
defective  work  to  pass  without  censure,  and  a  fine,  if  such  is,  as  it 
ought  to  be,  thejule  of  the  factory.  A  manager  who  cannot  dis- 
criminate between  good  and  bad  work,  will  be  compelled  to  leave 
the  inspection  to  secondary  managers  whose  qualifications  he  can- 
not appreciate  ;  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that  he  will  be  the 
tool  of  some  smooth  designing  knave  who  knows  very  little  more 
than  himself.  This  state  of  things  will  keep  such  a  concern  sta- 
tionarv ;  all  improvement  will  be  checked,  and  no  progress  can  be 
made  towards  perfection.  Other  factories  in  the  mean  time  will 
be  improving  in  fabric  and  reputation,  and  leave  this  so  far  be- 
hind, that  the  concern  will  gradually  droop  and  linger  until  the 
persons  coaceme«i  shall  either  give  up,  or  be  ruined. 

Under  the  direction  of  an  ignorant  manager,  bad  workmen  will 
be  encouraged  because  they  cringe  to  the  overseer,  whilst  good 
ones  will  be  soured,  and  dismissed,  for  displaying  a  spirit  of  inde- 
pendence. A  good  workman  will  not  be  found  fault  with  when 
be  is  CQDscicus  that  he  has  done  better  than  ethers  whose  work 


27 

has  been  approved.  This  state  of  thing's  will  cause  him  to  com- 
plain, and  complaint  is  alwa}  s  considered  impertinence  by  an  ig- 
norant manag-er.  As  such  a  director  must  be  conscious  of  his  own 
inability  to  decide,  he  is  ever  fearful  that  a  good  but  discontented 
workman  will  expose  his  ignorance,  and  thereby  cause  him  to  lose 
his  situation — the  dread  of  this  often  induces  him  to  part  with  his 
best  hands,  very  much  to  tlie  injury  of  the  concern. 

It  is  useless  to  dwell  any  longer  on  the  bad  effects  of  ignorant 
management,  as  every  tradesman  must  be  aware  of  its  ruinous  con- 
sequences. It  may  be  necessary,  however,  to  give  a  clue  by 
which  the  capitalist  can  discover  when  he  employs  an  ignorant 
manager,  and  this  may  be  known  in  a  very  simple  way.  A  facto- 
ry that  is  under  the  direction  of  a  man  well  versed  in  the  business, 
will  be  constantly  improving  until  the  goods  are  perfectly  made ; 
whereas,  under  the  management  of  an  ignorant  director,  it  will  at 
least  remain  stationary,  if  it  does  not  retrograde.  The  one  will  be 
drawing  around  him  the  best  workmen,  ^v^hiIst  the  other  will  be 
collecting  the  worst.  The  igtiorant  manager  will  be  so  conceited 
as  to  think  himself  superior  to  all  others,  before  he  is  at  all  ac- 
quainted with  the  business.  He  will  consider  and  pronounce  the 
fabrics  made  under  his  direction,  to  be  superior,  when  their  infe- 
riority is  visible  to  every  other  person  who  is  the  least  judge  of  the 
article. 


ON  EMPLOYING  OF  WORKMEN. 

IN  the  infancy  of  any  description  of  manufacture,  it  will  be  ne- 
cessary to  employ  European  workmen ;  but  native  workmen  are 
made  as  it  progresses,  and  foreign  aid  may  in  a  few  years  be  dis- 
pensed with.  The  settled  population  of  the  neighbourhood  in 
which  a  factory  is  seated,  should  be  employed  in  preference  to 
workmen  from  adjoining  couaties  or  states. 


28 

In  the  west  of  England  the  woollen  factories  are  located  in  small 
districts.  In  the  county  of  Gloucester  it  is  all  done  within  a  circle 
whose  diameter  shall  be  fifteen  miles,  within  which  more  than  for- 
ty thousand  hands  are  employed,  and  these  are  almost  all  of  them 
natives  of  the  place,  whose  fathers  and  grand-fathers  followed  the 
same  business  before  them.  By  this  means,  local  liabits  and  preju- 
dices are  acquired,  which  operate  more  powerfully  to  confine  them 
to  their  district  and  calling,  than  could  be  enforced  by  the  most 
tyrannical  laws. 

In  America,  these  factories  are  scattered  over  a  great  extent  of 
country,  and  in  general,  the  workmen  employed  in  them,  are  itine- 
rants, having  no  local  attachments,  and  the  consequence  is,  that 
they  are  continually  roving  from  one  factory  to  another,  very  much 
to  the  prejudice  of  the  whole.  In  order  to  remove  tliis  difficulty,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  instruct  the  heads  of  famiUes  brought  up  in  the 
vicinity  of  factories,  and  to  give  employment  to  every  capable  indi- 
vidual of  each  family  ;  also,  never  to  engage  a  workman  unless  he 
brings  with  him  a  character  from  the  place  where  he  was  last  em- 
ployed. At  present  a  workman  finds  no  difficulty  in  getting  employ- 
ment, should  he  have  made  bad  work  in  one  factory,  or  be  dis- 
chai'ged  for  drunkenness,  or  grass  immorality,  or  even  for  theft ; 
the  only  loss  he  suffers  is  a  march  of  from  ten  to  fifty  miles,  and  he 
is  certain  of  finding  another  situation  equally  good,  without  any 
reference  being  required  of  him  as  to  ability  or  character.  Should 
this  mode  of  engaging  workmen  be  continued,  the  growth  of  the 
manufacture  will  be  retarded  more  than  tlic  owners  generally  are 
aware  of.  On  the  contrary,  if  the  managei-s  would  mutually  agree 
to  employ  no  strange  workmen  without  recommendations,  and 
when  they  part  with  them,  would  give  in  return  a  fair  and  candid 
character,  that  itinerancy  of  Hbich  they  so  much  complain,  would 
be  sensibly  checked. 

The  workmen  of  this  country  acquire  a  knowledge  of  mechani- 
cal and  manufacturing  operations,  with  much  greater  facility  than 
Europeans,  and  when  the  managers  sliall  have  obtained  a  comj»e- 


29 

lenl  judgment  in  this  business,  and  will  pay  that  strict  and  con- 
stant attention  which  so  complicated  a  manufactory  requires,  the 
American  workmen  will  become  as  expert  as  any  in  the  world  ; 
but  so  long  as  the  managers  are  satisfied  with  inferior  workman- 
ship, and  are  negligent  in  inspecting  defects,  so  long  will  the  work- 
men continue  below  mediocrity. 

English  workmen  do  not  perform  as  well  in  this  country  as  when 
in  England.  They  find  the  managers  generally  ignorant  of  the 
business,  and  they  take  advantage  of  this  circumstance  to  neglect 
their  work,  not  by  being  idle,  for  that  would  not  answer  their  pur- 
pose, but  to  expedite  it  at  the  expense  of  the  quality,  and  this  is  no 
more  than  they  do  in  England,  when  they  find  a  master  either  ig- 
norant or  inattentive.  Weaving  is  one  of  the  most  important 
branches  in  a  woollen  factory,  and  if  the  workmen  find  they  can 
earn  twenty-five  cents  a  day  more  by  slighting  their  work,  than 
by  performing  it  faithfully,  and  that  the  person  examining  it  does 
not  understand  good  work  from  bad,  it  is  but  reasonable  to  sup- 
pose they  will  make  bad  work ;  for  it  is  well  known,  that  bad 
workmen  in  general,  will  make  as  much  out  of  their  employers  as 
they  possibly  can,  without  considering  whether  the  means  be  fair 
or  unfair. 

There  is  a  law  in  England,  now  become  obsolete,  which  com- 
pelled the  woollen  manufacturer  to  put  out  his  weaving  to  master 
weavers,  who  have  shops  in,  or  adjoining  their  houses.  Many  of 
these  will  keep  from  four  to  ten  looms  at  work,  finding  their  own 
looms,  gearing,  harness,  and  reeds,  and  are  allowed  from  *one 
shilling  to  eighteen  pence  an  ell,  according  to  the  quality,  for  broad- 
cloth, and  from  feight  pence  to  one  shilling  for  cassimere.  These 
master  weavers  employ  journeymen,  and  instruct  apprentices,  but 

■  — ■■■■     — - — — ■ ■,  I  -111--  ^ .  ^       - 

*  From  twenty-two  to  thirty-three  cents. 

t  From  fifteen  to  twenty-two  cents.  An  ell  is  one  yard  and  a  half. 
In  Yorkshire,  the  weaver  of  broadcloth  is  paid  forty-four  cents  for 
three  yards  and  a  half. 

3* 


do 

thev  are  aiirajrs  answerable  to  their  employers  forbad  work.  Al- 
though this  lavr  is  not  con&iiered  as  binding  on  tlie  clothiers  (^the 
present  nay,  yet  the  systsm  is  continacd,  because  it  is  considered 
better  than  having  the  weaving  done  in  the  factory.  Many  of 
these  master  weavers  live  in  houses  of  their  own,  around  which 
they  owQ  land  enough  for  large  gardens,  and  for  pasturiog  their 
cows  and  horses,  and  are  not  unfrequeatly  in  possession  of  tene- 
ments, which  they  rent  to  their  jouriieymen.  If  this  plan  were 
adopted  ia  America,  the  master  workmen  and  their  families  woukl 
become  stationary ;  for  when  a  man  owns  looms,  harness,  and 
reeds,  with  houses  and  land,  it  would  be  no  slight  nmtter  that  would 
induce  him  to  break  up,  sell  oS,  and  seek  out  for  some  distant  situ- 
ation, where  the  chance  would  be  that  he  could  not  better  his  cir- 
cumstances. This  system  would  be  beneficial  to  the  capitalist,  in- 
dependently of  keeping  the  workmen  in  their  place,  and  if  spinning 
also  were  included,  the  saving  would  be  still  more  considerable. 

The  buildings  erected  here  for  woollen  factories  are  very  lai^ge 
and  expensive  for  the  quantity  of  work  done  in  them,  and  the 
weaving  and  spinning  occupy  the  greater  part  of  the  room.  If 
these  branches  were  performed  by  workmen,  at  their  own  bouses, 
the  capital  expended  in  building  of  mills,  need  not  be  half  what  it 
is  at  present ;  and  should  this  part  of  the  capital  be  laid  out  in 
erecting  suitable  rooms  under  the  houses  intended  for  workmen, 
every  requisite  convenience  would  be  secured,  and  an  ample  in- 
terest received  for  the  money  expended  by  way  of  rent.  Thus  a 
dead,  unproductive  capital  would  become  productiTe,  bearing  an 
interest  of  seven  or  eight  per  cent,  so  long  as  the  iactory  continued 
ia  operation. 

It  is  rerv  unusual  for  the  west  of  England  manuiaciurers  to  em- 
ploy workmen  from  Ireland  or  from  the  north  of  England,  and  vice 
trrsa.  This  may  appear  very  strange  to  those  nnac<jnaioted  with 
that  country ;  and  yet  the  principle  on  which  this  election  is 
grounded  is  very  reasonable  :  the  description  of  cloth  made — the 
machicrrr  used,  and  the  m«7de  cf  working  is  diierent  in  al}  those 


31 

places ;  add  to  this,  that  the  workmen  have  strong-  prejudicej; 
against  each  other,  and  the  reasons  why  they  do  not  intermingle 
will  become  very  obvious. 

The  workmen  from  Yorkshire  are  excellent  carders,  slubbei's, 
and  spinners,  and  are  more  conversant  in  the  general  concerns  of 
a  factory,  than  are  those  from  the  Avest  of  England  ;  but  as  the 
fabrics  made  in  the  north,  are  mostly  of  a  coarse  quality,  the 
workmen  are  not  generally  as  well  acquainted  with  the  makings 
dressing,  and  finishing  of  fine  goods. 

I  would  recommend  the  manufacturers  of  this  country  to  select 
their  foreign  workmen  from  one  of  the  three,  but  never  on  any 
account  to  emplo}-  a  mixture  of  them  in  the  same  factory — either 
of  these  may  be  made  to  agree  with  American  workmen,  but  never 
among  themselves. 

I  cannot  conceive  a  more  uncomfortable  situation,  than  for  a 
manager,  who  is  not  perfect  in  the  business,  to  be  surrounded  by  a 
mixture  of  Irish,  Yorkshn-e,  and  west  of  England  woikmen. 
Whatever  advice  he  might  receive  from  the  one  party  would  be 
condemned  by  the  others.  If  any  description  of  machinery  were 
recommended  by  the  one,  the  other  would  be  sure  to  suggest  some- 
thing different  as  being  better ;  their  opinions  on  spinning,  weav- 
ing, braying,  fulling,  raising  the  nap,  shearing  and  pressing,  and 
packing,  would  be  all  at  variance  with  each  other,  and  it  would  be 
much  if  the  manager  did  not  make  his  election  from  the  worst  of 
the  three.  I  know  manufactories  that  are  now  labouring  under 
this  dilemma,  and  all  of  them  have  suffered  more  or  less  in  the  same 
way.  A  few  years,  however,  will  remove  the  injury  arising  from 
tliis  cause.  It  is  only  to  make  and  encourage  American  workmen, 
and  the  evil  will  be  gradually  receding. 


32 


ON  MACHINERY. 

THAT  the  best  of  every  description  of  macbinerv'  should  be  em- 
ployed in  this  countr?,  to  enable  its  mannfacturers  to  compete  with 
the  importer,  is  a  fact  so  obvious,  that  to  mention  it  would  appear 
almost  superfluous;  yet  this  is  far  from  being  the  case,  and  it  is 
probable  the  reason  why  it  is  not  so.  has  never  been  suspected  hy 
the  American  capitalists. 

I  hesitated  when  I  commenced  this  article,  whether  to  explain 
this  circumstance,  or  pass  it  over  in  silence,  but  the  wish  to  pro- 
mote the  growing  manufacture  of  the  country,  and  knowing  that 
the  longer  an  evil  was  continued,  the  more  difficult  it  would  be  to 
eradicate  it,  overcame  every  other  consideration,  and  induced  rae 
to  make  it  known. 

It  is  then  an  indisputable  fact,  that  the  cause  of  the  emigration 
of  many  English  workmen,  from  the  woollen  manufactories,  has 
been  occasioned  by  their  objection  to  the  introduction  of  certain 
machinery  ioto  the  counties  from  whence  they  came ;  and  some 
few  of  tliem  left,  because  their  violence  in  attempting  to  prevent 
it,  made  their  stay  there  very  hazardous.  This  prejudice  against 
machinerv  is  slill  very  strongly  entertained  by  them,  and  is  not 
unfrequently  expressed. 

How  happens  it  that  in  many  of  our  factories,  the  nap  is  still 
raised  by  hand,  at  an  enormous  expense  ? — that  where  the  gig-milf 
has  been  introduced,  it  is  so  constructed,  and  so  slow  in  its  motion 
as  to  defeat  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  intended  '  These  impedi- 
ments may  sometimes  have  occured  from  the  ignorance  of  managers, 
or  from  a  want  of  knowledge  in  the  workmen  who  gave  directions ; 
but  it  has  been  suspected  to  be  the  result  of  that  violent  antipathy 
against  this  mode  of  working  which  English  workmen  bring  out 
with  thera. 


33 

Although  this  prejudice  might  be  excusable  in  England,  inas- 
much as  the  introduction  of  machinery  there  occasioned  many 
hundreds  of  workmen  to  be  thrown  out  of  employment,  without 
means  of  obtainmg  it  elsewhere  :  yet  in  this  country  that  preju- 
dice cannot  be  sustained  on  any  plausible  pretence,  for  the  manu- 
facturer here  must  fall,. unless  the  cheapest  and  best  modes  of 
working  be  adopted.  If  it  cost  the  American  manufacturers  fifty 
dollars  to  raise  the  nap  on  a  given  quantity  of  cloth,  that  might  be 
better  done  for  ten,  can  they  be  expected  to  compete  successfully 
with  the  importing  merchant,  and  shall  English  workmen  be  so 
blind  as  not  to  see,  that  every  effective  labour-saving  machine  in- 
troduced into  her  manufactories,  is  ensuring  a  continuation  of  their 
employment  instead  of  injuring  it? 

The  jennies  used  in  England,  at  least  in  the  county  of  Glouces- 
ter, are  mostly  of  eighty  spindles,  and  never  less  than  seventy,  whilst 
in  this  country,  the  largest  have  only  sixty  spindles.  This  is  cer- 
tainh"  retrograding  in  the  use  of  labour-saving  machinery  ;  for  it 
has  been  proved  by  comparative  experiment,  that  four  persons 
working  on  eighty  spindle  jennies,  will  turn  out  as  much  yarn  per 
diem,  of  any  given  fineness,  as  five  would  on  sixties.  I  have 
mentioned  this  difference  to  several  factory  managers,  and  the  an- 
swers uniformly  received,  have  been  that  sixties  were  as  profitable 
as  eighties ;  but  I  would  ask  from  whence  had  they  this  intelli- 
gence ?  Surely  not  from  personal  experience,  for  I  have  never 
heard  of  an  eighty  in  the  country.  Anotlier  objection  urged 
against  eighties  is,  that  the  labour  would  be  too  great  for  the 
workmen ;  if  this  be  fact,  it  must  speak  volumes  against  the  suc- 
cess of  the  manufacturer,  and  would  prove  what  many  naturalists 
have  asserted,  that  on  this  continent  man  degenerates  in  physical 
strength.  In  England,  eightj'  spindle  jennies  are  worked  by  wo- 
men ;  in  America  their  sixties  are  worked  by  men ;  and  shall  it 
•be  said,  that  tlie  women  in  England  are  stronger,  and  capable  of 
doing  more  work  than  men  are  in  America  ?  Those  wlio  read  this, 
will  perceive  that  it  is  rather  an  excuse  than  an  objection ;  the 
persons  who  made  it,  never  saw  an  eighty  spindle  jenney,  nor  had 


34 

thej  anr  data  by  irhich  to  judg«  of  the  difference,  and  tlie  only 
support  for  their  observation  must  Lave  been  founded  on  the  re- 
presentation of  Eng^lish  workmen.  It  must  be  evident  that  the 
jennies  are  either  badlj  constructed,  or  that  the  managers  have 
been  deceived. 

Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  seen  jennies  of  one  hundred 
spindles  and  upwards,  that  twist  by  water.  At  first  sight,  I  con- 
sidered this  mode  of  working  to  be  a  great  improvement,  but 
from  experience  I  am  inclined  to  believe  they  cannot  be  made  to 
perform  as  well  as  when  the  twist  is  given  by  hand,  particularly 
for  spinning  of  warp.  Good  spinners  have  informed  me  that  the 
twist  requires  humouring  in  some  parts  of  the  draft;  that  when 
worked  by  hand,  they  can  humour  it  as  they  find  the  wool  draws, 
but  that  when  twisted  by  mechanical  power,  it  must  have  an  equal 
portion  in  ail  parts  of  the  d.-^t.  Whatever  may  be  the  cause,  it 
appears  from  the  little  experience  I  have  had  in  spinning  by  me- 
chanical motion,  that  ihe  same  quality  of  wool  will  not  draw  to  as 
fine  a  thread,  when  spun  in  this  way  as  it  will  when  worked  on 
the  band  jenny. 


ON  THE  WASTE  MADE  IN  FACTORIES. 

THE  first  object  that  stiikes  an  European  in  going  over  any 
Amencan  factory,  is  the  ^eat  waste  of  stock.  In  the  first  place, 
before  he  enters  the  building,  he  will  see  a  large  heap  of  waste  of 
every  description  deposited  near  the  factory,  in  which  raising  and 
shearing  flocks,  locks  of  scoured  and  unsecured  wool,  flakes  from 
the  carders  and  scriblers — pieces  of  copts,  &c.  &c.  are  all  mixed 
together:  that  \vhich  is  real  waste  being  intermingled  with  valua- 
ble stock  of  all  qualities,  and  from  every  department.  On  examin- 
ing the  dying  flakes,  he  will  see  locks  of  coloured  and  white 
wool,  laying  all  around  and  underneath  them  ;  some  loose  on  the 
ground,  others  almost  buried  by  having  been  trodden  under  foot, 


35 

and  not  a  few  nearly  drawn  into  their  holes  by  the  worms.  The 
same  destructive  carelesness  is  observable  in  thejnterior  depart- 
ments ;  and  finally,  in  walking  round  the  exterior  of  the  building-, 
lie  will  see  pieces  of  copts  and  bobbins  lying  under  the  walls,  that 
have  been  thrown  out  of  the  windows. 

Such  destructive  waste  is  a  source  of  great  satisfaction  to  those 
foreigners  who  are  hostile  to  American  fabrics,  and  I  have  seen 
this  wasteful  system  animadverted  upon  in  English  periodical  pub- 
lications, and  the  fall  of  the  manufacture  prognosticated  as  the 
result. 

It  is  curious  to  observe  how  ready  the  managers  are  in  offering 
excuses  for  any  defect  pointed  out  to  them.  In  this  instance  they 
will  tell  you  that  the  difference  in  the  price  of  labour  will  not  al- 
low of  their  being  so  particular  here,  as  they  are  in  England. 
Provided  the  saving  of  stock  was  attended  with  additional  expense, 
it  might  then  become  a  matter  of  calculation  whether  or  not  it 
ought  to  be  incurred,  but  this  is  not  the  case  :  it  is  only  necessary 
to  make  every  one  employed  in  the  factory,  men,  women,  and 
children,  answerable  for  all  unnecessary  waste,  and  the  loss  now 
sustained,  would  soon  be  retrieved  without  any  additional  expense. 

Separate  bins  should  be  provided  and  legibly  marked  for  each 
kind  of  waste,  and  the  workmen  compelled  to  deposit  what  belongs 
to  their  department  in  its  proper  place.  At  convenient  opportu- 
nities this  should  be  looked  over,  and  appropriated  to  such  pur- 
poses as  it  is  fitted  for  :  the  odd  locks,  the  slubbing  and  filling 
waste,  and  that  from  the  carders  and  scriblers,  may  be  worked 
into  filling  for  mixed  broadcloths  or  sattinets ;  the  chain  waste 
will  make  handsome  hearth  rugs,  in  imitation  of  the  Turkey,  the 
mill  puffs,  gig-mill  flocks,  and  burling  nips,  after  being  willowed  in 
baskets  made  for  the  purpose,  are  excellent  for  stuffing  of  couches, 
or  filling  of  beds  ;  the  shearflocks  make  superior  stuffing  for  horse 
pads,  and  the  thrums  may  be  made  into  mops,  a  convenient  article 
for  cleaning  house  floors. 


56 

Such  is  the  manner  of  appropriating-  waste  in  England,  nothing" 
is  lost  there,  every  thing-,  however  trilling,  being-  turned  to  some 
profitable  use.  In  America,  it  is  generally  thrown  out  and  per- 
mitted to  rot,  or  carried  to  the  fields  and  gardens  as  manure. 

I  have  pointed  out  in  ageneral  and  summary  manner,  the  bad  con- 
sequences of  mismanagement ;  the  injurious  effects  resulting  from 
the  itinerancy  of  workmen;  the  ineflBciency  of  some  parts  of  the  ma- 
chi'iery ;  and  the  loss  sustained  from  excessive  waste,  and  have 
endeavoured  to  show  how  these  defects  may  be  remedied.  I  shall 
proceed  to  treat  of  each  operation  belonging  to  the  manufacture 
in  their  regular  order : — the  choice  ofwool,  sorting,  picking,  scour- 
ing and  washing,  drying,  wHlowing,  oiling,  scribling  and  card- 
ing, slubbing,  spinning,  warping,  weaving  and  bobbin  winding, 
braying,  burling,  fulling,  raising  the  nap,  drying  the  cloth  before 
burling,  and  after  raising  the  nap,  oiling,  shearing,  linting  and 
pressing  and  packing. 

An  opinion  prevails  among  managers,  that  provided  a  few  of  the 
leading  operations  are  well  performed,  the  others  are  of  little  or 
no  consequence  :  this  opinion  is  erroneous  and  very  fatal  to  those 
who  entertain  it.  Nothing  can  be  more  certain  than  that  in  mak- 
ing perfect  superfine  cloth  and  cassimere,  ievery  operation,  howev- 
er trifling,  must  be  well  understood  by  the  manager,  and  perfectly 
performed  by  the  workmen.  It  may  be  said  that  workmansliip  of 
this  description  will  be  too  expensive,  more  than  the  price  of  the 
goods  will  bear ;  but  this  idea  also  must  be  founded  on  conceptions 
that  display  a  total  ignorance  of  the  business.  How  is  it  that  the  cloth 
made  in  one  factory,  from  a  given  quality  of  fine  wool,  will  sell 
for  two  dollars  a  yard  more  than  that  which  is  made  from  the 
same  quality  in  another  ?  It  is  because  the  person  who  manages 
the  one  has  a  competent  knowledge  of  the  business,  and  takes 
care  to  have  every  nart  well  performed,  whilst  the  other  is  either 
ignorant,  or  neglectful.  The  difference  in  the  expense  of  having 
every  part  well,  or  indiffeiently  executed,  cannot  exceed  twenty 


37 

cents  on  the  yard,  whilst  the  increased  value  will  be  more  than 
eight  times  that  amount — how  very  blind  must  those  managers  be 
to  their  own  interest,  who  can  view  with  indifference,  operations 
so  pregnant  with  profit  to  their  concerns. 

It  will  be  my  aim  in  commenting  on  these  operations,  to  giv^ 
all  the  information  within  the  scope  of  my  knowledge.  As  this  was 
obtained  in  England,  I  shall  often  have  occasion  to  revert  to  that 
country,  to  inform  my  readers  of  the  modes  pursued  there  :  I  do 
not  profess  to  be  acquainted  with  the  making  of  woollen  goods 
generally,  my  experience  and  information  having  been  obtained  in 
the  county  of  Gloucester  where  none  but  superfines  are  made,  and 
my  observations,  therefore,  must  be  considered  as  applicable  only 
to  tliose  qualities.  How  far  perfect  workmanship  may  be  devia- 
ted from  in  making  goods  of  minor  qualities,  I  cannot  determine  ; 
but  should  infer,  that  in  all  cases  it  ought  to  be  as  perfect  as  the 
price  of  the  fabric  will  allow  of. 


ON  THE  CHOICE  AND  PROPERTIES  OF  WOOL. 

The  wool  used  in  this  country  is  either  of  American  growth, 
or  imported  from  Spain  and  Portugal.  The  Portuguese  wool  is 
not  in  much  repute  any  where,  it  is  a  wiry,  harsh,  foul  wool,  and 
with  few  exceptions  very  unfit  to  be  used  for  any  thing  like  super- 
fine cloth.  Since  Saxony  wool  has  been  used  in  England,  the 
Spanish  has  sunk  so  much  in  reputation  as  to  be  seldom  employed 
in  making  prime  or  even  secondary  superfines.  Take  two  Jots  of 
wool,  one  of  Saxony,  the  other  of  Spanish,  of  similar  quality,  and 
the  cloth  made  from  the  Saxony  will  be  very  superior  to  that  made 
from  the  Spanish ;  the  former  will  have  a  much  finer  face,  will 
handle  better,  and  sell  at  a  higher  price. 

The  wool  imported  into  this  country  from  Spain  is  generally  of 
an  inferior  quality  for  the  marks :  indeed  I  have  seldom  seen  a 
4 


38 

good  sample  of  single  R  here,  and  nothing  less  than  a  prime  wool 
of  that  mark,  ought  to  be  used  for  suj.erfines.  TTiat  which  is 
made  from  prime  single  R  for  chain,  and  good  double  R  for  filling, 
would  be  worth,  if  well  manufactured,  from  six  to  seven  dollars 
per  yard. 

Spanish  wool,  as  mentioned  in  the  Statesman  of  the  last  year, 
is  sorted  and  scoured  soon  after  it  is  sheared,  and  is  seldom  used 
in  less  than  twelve  months  afterwards,  and  many  lots  lay  two  and 
three  years  before  it  is  manufactured.  Those  who  are  at  all  ac- 
quainted with  the  properties  of  wool,  must  know,  that  the  staple 
will  be  gradually  injured  after  it  has  been  scoured  :  it  will  become 
harsh,  and  brittle  by  age,  so  much  so,  as  never  to  recover  that  fine 
elastic  property,  in  which  its  value  principally  consists.  It  is  true 
that  when  closely  packed  as  Spanish  wool  is,  it  is  not  injured  so 
rapidly  as  when  left  open ;  yet  that  it  is  injured  by  age,  is  well 
known  to  every  experienced  wool  dealer  and  manufacturer. 

The  fuU  blooded  wool  of  this  country  bears  a  strong  resem- 
blance to  the  Saxony,  and  I  have  seen  small  lots  offered  for  sale, 
the  first  quality  of  which  ought  to  have  made  cloth  worth  ten  dol- 
lars a  yard ;  but  I  am  informed  that  the  fleeces  do  not  contain  as 
great  a  proportion  of  fine  wool  as  the  Saxony. 

To  improve  the  quality  of  a  flock,  it  is  necessary  to  examine 
the  lambs  when  their  wool  is  a  little  grown,  and  if  any  are  found 
having  coarse  fleeces,  they  should  eitherjbe  sold,  or  sent  off"  to  an 
Inferior  flock  ;  but  should  the  increase  be  permitted  to  go  on  with- 
out sperating  those  having  inferior  fleeces,  the  quality  ef  the  wool 
will  degenerate  rather  than  improve.  It  costs  no  more  to  feed  a 
fine  fleeced  animal  than  it  does  a  coarse  one :  and  those  agricul- 
turalists who  raise  sheep  wiiji  a  view  to  profit,  would  certainly  find 
their  account,  in  obtaining  by  means  so  easy,  a  flock  whc=e  annual 
fleece  would  be  worth  thirty  per  cent.  more,  than  when  raised  af- 
ter the  common  careless  manner- 


39 

It  is  not  many  years  since  fine  wool  was  exported  from  Ger'- 
many,  and  I  have  understood  that  they  first  obtained  their  sheep 
from  Spain  during  the  late  continental  war,  and  about  the  same 
period,  they  found  their  way  to  New  South  Wales  and  America^ 
Germany  and  New  South  Wales  are  now  supplying  Europe  with 
much  finer  wool  than  can  be  obtained  from  Spain,  whilst  America 
raises  very  little  that  is  equal  to  the  best  of  the  second  quality 
Spanish.  There  must  be  some  radical  defect  among  the  wool 
g^rowers  of  this  country  that  loudly  demand  to  be  remedied. 

Our  manufactures  are  now  arrived  to  that  state  in  quality  and 
magnitude,  wliich  makes  it  advantageous  for  each  one  to  confine 
itself  to  the  making  of  one  or  two  qualities  of  cloth.  By  pursu- 
ing this  mode,  perfection  would  be  obtained  much  sooner  than  by 
fol!r>-*7ing  too  great  a  range.  A  factory  that  is  put  into  operation, 
with  a  view  to  the  making  of  fine  goods,  must  be, injured,  and 
rendered  unfit  for  that  purpose,  by  manufacturing  those  of  a 
quality  very  inferior.  It  is  also  very  inconvenient,  as  the  mode 
of  workir.g  in  evei}  department  must  be  different,  and  the  mana- 
ger tiiust  be  continually  making  new  calculations  to  regulate  the 
work. 

To  give  manufacturers  an  opportunity  of  working  only  one  or 
tv.  o  qualities,  it  is  necessary  they  should  be  able,  at  all  times,  to 
purchase  asupply  of  wool  of  such  as  are  wanted  ;  otherwise,  their 
factories  must  sometimes  stand  still,  and  this  state  of  things  would 
be  vvorse  than  the  former.  I  believe  it  is  difficult  at  this  time  to 
obiain  a  supply  of  one  or  two  qualities.  When  American  wool  is 
purchased,  they  have  to  take  it  in  the  fleece,  and  to  work  up  all 
the  qualities  :  now  it  is  evident  to  every  one  conversant  with  this 
manufacture,  that  those  cards  which  are  calculated  for  choice 
locks,  and  the  reeds  and  harness  that  are  made  for  such  work,  are 
not  fit  for  working  the  coarsest  grades,  and  vice  versa. 

In  order  to  obviate  these  diflaculties,  it  would  be  desirable  to 


4t> 

kare  tbefletees  stsij^d  bj  dealers  in  wool,  so  as  to  enable  mana- 
facturers  to  purchase  the  qualities  they  may  want ;  but  the  princi- 
pal thii^  wanted  is  extensire  capitals,  rested  in  the  wool  trade,  to 
aBTchase  damffltic  and  foreign  wool  of  every  quality,  and  in  suffi- 
cimt  qsantity  to  supply  the  market.  Ag-ents,  who  are  judges  of 
Ibe  article,  dould  be  employed  in  Spain  and  Germany,  to  make 
sadi  jmrdbames  as  tibe  pieB^it  and  increasing  demand  may  require. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  ibat  it  should  be  necessary  to  resort  to  im- 
portaliaa  far  tibe  sapply  of  an  article  that  might  be  raised  to  any 
CEleDt  ia  ths  ooontry,  and  which,  while  it  improres  the  land,  af- 
fatds  a  gaed  ^t^t  to  the  a^Ticulturalist :  nor  would  this  necessity 
be  of  loi^  continuajace,  provided  the  farmers  would  generally  turn 
tbeir  atteation  to  the  merino  breed,  and  take  the  same  pains  to 
obtain  fine  fleeced  animals,  as  is  done  by  the  Spaniards  and  G^r- 
BBiis.  At  the  present  time,  the  iactories  are  increasing  more 
nfiSif  than  the  flocks  ;  but  so  soon  as  the  former  shall  have  ac- 
^pnred  their  maximum,  the  latter  will  continue  to  increase  until  it 
be  in  eacesB. 

To  possess  a  g'ood  judgment  in  wool,  requires  more  practical 
ikill  Hxan  manufacturers  are  generally  aware  of.  An  English 
^xsAhxr  wfco  is  known  to  have  a  correct  and  discriminating  judg- 
ment in  t>its  article,  is  olten  employed  by  otliers  to  purchase  their 
wool,  for  which  he  is  allowed  a  small  commissicm.  So  trifling  are 
tbe  proi&ts  in  tliat  country,  that  ualess  the  wool  is  weD  bought,  the 
<dotii  wifl  affiwd  none  ;  and  though  the  profits  are  much  larger 
befe*  yet  the  success  of  a  manufacturer  must  depend  in  a  great 
measure  on  having  a  good  judgment  in  purchasing  the  raw  mate- 
liaL  I  do  aot  profess  to  have  a  perfect  knowledge  of  wool,  and  if 
I  had,  it  would  be  impossible  to  give  such  written  instructions  as 
would  convey  it  to  others,  I  will  endeavour,  however,  to  point  out 
of  its  leadin?  features. 


*1 

It  will  be  understood  that  perfect  wool  is  flattish  rather  than 
round  ;  that  when  round,  it  approaches  nearer  to  the  properties  of 
hair  than  of  wool ;  that  when  of  a  proper  shape  it  is  finer  as  it  is 
thinner  and  smaller ;  that  when  fine  and  good,  it  will  have  a  crim- 
ped appearance,  which  makes  it  look  shorter  than  it  really  is ; 
that  it  will  have  a  glossy  surface,  somewhat  resembling  silk  ;  and 
that  when  stretched  out,  it  will  be  sufficiently  elastic  to  return  to 
its  former  position,  like  a  steel  spring,  as  soon  as  the  stretching 
power  is  removed.  When  a  lock  of  wool  is  placed  close  to  the 
ear,  and  there  gently  drawn  out,  it  will  make  a  crackling  noise  ; 
and  some  judgment  may  be  formed  of  its  quality  by  the  noise  it 
makes — all  wool  will  give  it  more  or  less,  but  the  finest  will  make 
less  noise  than  that  which  is  coarser.  When  the  fingers  are  drawn 
from  the  roots  to  the  points  of  wool,  no  sensible  resistance  is  felt ; 
when  drawn  from  the  points  to  the  roots,  the  resistance  is  very 
sensible,  but  less  so  as  the  quality  is  finer. 

It  must  be  evident  that  it  will  require  considerable  practice  to 
become  expert  even  to  the  extent  of  these  few  instructions,  and 
much  more  must  be  acquired  before  a  correct  judgment  can  be 
formed.  It  is  difficult  in  all  small  articles,  where  there  is  a  great 
range  in  grade  and  quality,  to  be  able  to  discriminate  between  two 
samples  nearly  alike,  and  this  can  be  acquired  only  by  practice. 
Those  managers  who  are  desirous  of  improving  the  quality  of  their 
cloth,  and  to  make  large  profits,  must  take  every  opportunity  of 
comparing  diflferent  samples  and  remarking  the  result  when  made 
up  with  their  judgment  before  hand;  by  these  means  they  will  be 
able  in  two  or  thre  years  to  discriminate  accurately  between  the 
relative  value  of  samples  that  may  be  offisred  for  sale.  Many  En- 
glish manufacturers  employ  a  small  pocket  microscope  to  examine 
the  samples  of  wool  before  purchasing ;  and  it  is  said  the  quality 
can  be  better  ascertained  in  this  wa} ,  than  with  the  naked  eye. 

In  purchasing  of  wool  it  is  not  only  necessary  to  attend  to  the 
aualit^,  but  also  to  its  condition.     Spanish  wool  is  partly  scoured 

4* 


42 

before  it  is  exported,  but  some  ids  are  scoured  much  (leaser 
others,  and  it  will  be  necessary  for  the  purchaser  to  ascertaiD  how 
much  will  be  the  probable  loss  on  the  different  samj^es.  Besides 
this  defect,  Spanish  wool  is  ofien  very  badiv  sorted,  and  left  with 
all  the  burs  and  pitch  marks  remaining  in  it  This  wool  loses  from 
ten  to  eighteen  per  cent,  in  scouring. 

Saxony  wool  is  offered  for  sale  as  it  comes  from  the  sheep's  back, 
haying  been  merely  washed  before  shearing,  and  is  afterwards  sort- 
ed, yet  some  samples  are  much  fouler  than  others — the  arerage 
loss  by  clean  scouring  is  about  thirty  per  cent :  at  least  this  is  the 
per  centage  allowed  by  the  manufacturers  «^eo  they  send  their 
wool  to  be  dyed — ^for  every  hundred  pounds  of  Saxocy  wool  seat 
to  the  dyer,  they  expect  to  haye  seyenty  pounds  cf  cJeaa  wool  re- 
tamed.  American  merino  wool,  unwashed  before  sLearin^,  wiU 
lose  from  forty  to  fiftj-  per  cent.  I  once  had  two  fleeces  of  uo- 
washed  wool  scoured,  from  sheep  that  had  been  feeding  on  sandj 
land,  one  of  them  lost  fifty-six,  and  the  other  fifty-eight  per  cent. 
The  finer  the  quality  of  the  fleece,  the  more  it  will  lose  in  scooiiii^, 
because  fine  full  blooded  wool  has  more  yolk  in  it  than  that  which 
is  of  inferior  quality.  American  wool  that  has  been  washed  clean 
before  shearing,  will  lose  from  twenty-fiye  to  thirty  per  cent. 


SORTING,  OR  STAPLING  OF  WOOL. 

I  mentioned  in  the  last  article  that  it  would  he  better  that  the 
wool  should  be  stapled  by  the  dealer  rather  than  by  tl^  mano&c- 
turer,  and  no  doubt  such  an  arrangement  will  take  place  in  a  few 
years ;  for  want  of  it  an  intricate  branch  is  throwil  on  the  mana- 
ger? of  factories,  which  could  be  better  done  by  pereons  whose 
whole  attention  would  be  applied  to  this  in  particular. 

Wool  should  not  be  thrown  into  too  many  sorts ;  this  is  useless  a^ 
n  regards  the  quality,  and  troublesome  to  those  who  faaye  to  wariiif 


43 

ftp :  four  or  at  most  iWe  qualities  are  sufficient  for  any  ileece  of 
fine  wool,  and  three  for  coarse  wool. 

After  a  lot  of  wool  has  been  thrown  into  sorts  by  the  stapler,  it 
should  be  cgirefuUy  examined  by  the  raanag-er  to  discover  if  he  has 
thrown  them  regularly,  for  when  stapled  by  the  pound,  as  it  gene- 
rally is,  it  will  be  the  interest  of  the  workmen  to  throw  it  out  in  a 
very  rapid  and  careless  manner,  by  which  he  will  be  able  to  earn" 
thirty  or  forty  per  cent,  more,  than  when  he  has  sorted  it  carefully, 
and  with  due  regard  to  the  interest  of  his  employer. 

Spanish  wool  is  packed  in  very  coarse  bagging,  and  much  of  the 
lint  from  the  bags  adheres  to  the  wool  that  lies  next  to  it-  This 
covering  should  be  taken  off  without  breaking  the  wool,  and  all  the 
lints  and  filth  from  the  bag  carefully  picked  off  from  the  outside, 
before  the  mass  is  broken  :  should  this  be  neglected,  the  cloth  will 
be  very  linty,  and  much  expense  subsequently  incured  in  having 
them  taken  out  by  the  women  whose  business  it  is  to  spoile  the 
cloth.  This  wool  is  often  badly  sorted,  so  much  so,  as  to  make  it 
necessary  to  have  it  looked  over  and  the  coarse  locks  thrown  out. 
It  is  not  requisite  to  employ  a  regular  stapler  for  this  purpose,  as  it 
can  be  done  as  well  by  any  steady  girl  from  the  wool  pickers. 

When  wool  has  been  sorted,  it  should  be  sent  to  the  pickers  to 
have  all  the  burs  and  pitch  marks  taken  out,  and  if  American 
wool,  the  dead  ends  cut  off,  which  should  be  done  with  as  little 
waste  as  possible.     It  is  now  in  a  state  fit  for  scouring. 


SCOURING  THE  WOOL. 

THIS  is  an  important  operation,  much  more  so  than  is  general- 
ly im  \gined  by  those  who  are  not  well  versed  in  the  art  of  manu- 
facturing, for  unless  the  wool  be  well  scoured,  and  thoroughly 
cleansed  from  tlie  yolk  and  grease,  the  subsequent  operations  will 


44 

ie  materially  injured,  as  gooJ  cloth  never  can  be  made  from  wool 
badiv  scoured. 

English  manufacturers  are  so  much  aware  of  the  advantages  of 
g-ood  scouring,  that  better  wages  are  g-iven  by  them  to  a  good  work- 
man in  this,  than  in  aay  other  branch  of  the  factory,  and  he  is  more 
certain  of  finding-  steady  and  constant  employment,  whilst  a  spinner 
can  earn  only  two  shillings  and  six  pence  a  day,  a  wool  scourer 
will  make  four.  He  usually  works  by  the  pack,  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  pounds,  as  weighed  in  the  grease.  When  employed  by 
the  day  it  is  considered  a  day's  work  for  him  to  scour  and  wash 
that  quantity ;  but  when  engaged  b}-  the  lump,  he  will  scour  and 
wash  from  one  and  a  half  to  two  packs.  To  enable  him  to  do  this, 
erery  thing  must  be  conveniently  arranged. 

For  scouring,  a  shallow  conical  furnace  is  employed,  holding 
about  two  hundred  gallons,  which  may  be  made  either  of  copper 
or  of  iron.  It  is  set  in  brick  work  as  other  furnaces  are ;  but  the 
fire  is  never  permitted  to  reach  more  than  one  third  of  its  height. 

The  apparatus  used  for  washing  of  wool,  after  it  is  taken  from 
the  furnace,  is  uniformly  of  an  oblong  square  ;  but  they  are  con- 
structed of  different  materials,  and  variable  in  the  mode  by  which 
the  water  is  applied.  Some  are  merely  willow  baskets,  others  are 
made  of  timber  in  the  bottom  and  sides  for  about  half  their  height, 
the  upper  part  being  constructed  of  strong  open  wire  work,  with 
a  wooden  curb  round  the  top.  Some  few  are  made  entirely  of  sheet 
copper,  with  holes  perforated  about  half  way  from  the  top  down- 
wards :  these  are  always  placed  in  running  streams  where  the 
water  is  not  too  rapid,  such  as  mill  ponds,  or  tail  races.  The  i-ace 
which  in  this  country  leads  the  water  from  the  dam  to  tlie  wheel 
would  answer  well  for  this  purpose,  where  the  water  has  a  suffi- 
cient current  The  curfent  should  be  strong  enough  to  keep  the 
water  inside  the  basket  continually  changing,  yet  not  so  strong  as 
to  drive  the  wool  too  bard  against  the  side  opposite  to  where  it  en-*^ 
f^rs,  which   will  be  attended  with  considen^ble  delay  and  trou- 


45 

ble,  as  well  as  with  a  loss  of  wool,  as  many  of  the  fine  locks  will  be 
washed  through  the  wires,  or   other  openings. 

An  apparatus  superior  to  either  of  the  above  is  now  generally 
used  for  washing,  where  a  head  of  water,  from  four  feet  upwards, 
can  be  obtained.  The  shape  of  this  is  also  an  oblong  square,  and 
for  a  full  sized  washer  is  five  feet  long,  two  feet  three  inclies  wide, 
and  the  same  in  depth :  a  stout  false  bottom  is  added  about  three 
inches  above  the  real  one — in  it  are  drilled  an  indefinite  nuriiber 
of  small  holes,  three  eights  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  the  water 
is  conveyed  in  between  the  two  bottoms  by  means  of  a  two  inch 
pipe,  in  which  acock  is  placed  to  stop  the  supply  when  necessary. 
A  number  of  small  holes  are  drilled  in  the  ends  and  sides  of  the 
washer  for  twelve  inches  from  the  top  to  let  the  foul  water  run  off. 
When  the  water  is  turned  on,  it  will  be  forced  up  with  a  po-ver 
equal  to  the  weight  of  the  column,  which  is  sufficient  with  a  ivdl  of 
six  feet  to  keep  it  in  a  constant  strong  boiling  motion.  When 
scoured  wool  is  thrown  into  one  of  these  machines,  it  is  kept  float- 
ing and  rapidly  moving  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  by  the  upward 
pressure  of  the  column,  and  the  foul  water  passes  off  through  the 
holes  on  the  top.  The  workman  stands  on  one  side  of  the  washer 
and  moves  the  wool  backwards  and  forwards  with  a  jerking  mo- 
tion, by  means  of  an  iron  prong,  until  the  water  passes  through  it 
perfectly  limpid  ;  when  he  throws  out  that  quantity  and  replaces 
it  by  another,  and  so  on  alternately  until  the  days's  work  is  finished. 
This  mode  of  washing  wool  is  superior  to  every  other,  the  work 
is  performed  in  less  time,  and  the  wool  more  completely  cleansed. 

In  constructing  this  machine,  it  is  necessary  to  be  guarded  in  two 
particulars ;  first,  that  the  united  capacity  of  the  holes  drilled  in 
the  false  bottom,  be  not  quite  equal  to  deliver  all  the  water  sup- 
plied by  the  column :  for  when  this  happens,  the  supply  will  ope- 
rate partially,  and  the  designed  effect  be  in  a  great  measure 
destroyed.  In  the  next  place  it  is  necessary  that  the  holes  drilled 
around  tlie  basket,  to  let  off  the  foul  water,  be  sufficient  to  let  off 
aU  that  the  column  shall  supply,  when  the  wool  is  in  the  basket. 


46 

v^ithoQt  permitting"  the  water  to  raise  within  two  or  three  inches 
of  the  top :  nnless  this  be  attended  to,  the  water  will  flow  over 
the  washer  and  take  the  wool  with  it. 

aVIany  cmde  notions  respecting'  wool  scouring,  have  been  ad- 
vanced in  this  country  since  the  woollen  factories  coirnneoceH, 

anJ  injurious  modes  of  preparing  the  scouring^  liquors  are  now  in 
operation.  A  plan  for  making  cloth,  without  scouring  the  wool, 
was  started  a  few  yeais  since,  supported  by  the  plea  that  the  na- 
tural grease  of  the  animal  was  as  good  as  oil,  and  this  absunl  idea 
found  many  advocates,  until  experience  conrinced  them  cf  its 
injurious  tendency.  The  supporters  of  iLis  theory  did  not  appear 
to  know  that  a  single  fleece  of  full-blooded  merino  will  contain  a 
considerable  quantity  of  silecious  sand,  that  when  worked  in  the 
cards,  would  injure  them:  nor  were  they  aware  that  wool  worked 
up  with  forty  per  cent  of  yolk  and  grease,  would,  when  the  cloth 
was  scoured  out  after  weaving,  leave  a  cloth  quite  thin  that  was 
well  filled  in  the  loom. 

There  are  but  few  American  factories  where  scouring  of  wool 
is  completely  understood.  In  general,  the  liquor  is  not  made 
strong  enough  to  decompose  the  whole  of  the  yolk  and  grease  : 
when  this  happens,  the  wool  will  turn  yellow  in  drying,  and  on 
handling  it  when  dry,  it  vrili  feel  greasy,  a  portion  ot  the  grease 
adhering  to  tlie  hands  so  as  to  make  them  sensibly  oily.  When 
wool  is  coloured  in  this  state,  the  colour  does  not  look  so  web  ^; 
when  it  has  been  well  cleansed,  nor  will  it  stand  scouring,  or  wear 
as  well  when  made  into  garments.  This  is  a  serious  iiij'iry  to 
the  manufacturer,  as  it  has  a  tendency  to  bring  the  AaK- ric:.  . 
cloth  into  disrepute,  and  to  lower  its  y alue  in  compaiison  with  ic  - 
reign  fabrics. 

Urine  is  the  only  material  that  ought  to  be  used  for  scouring  i 
woo! :  it  is  the  cheapest  of  any.  and  can  be  obtained  in  snfficieL.: 
qw^it^  in  almost  any  situation  in  which  a  factory  may  be  i^hcrd. 
The  volatile  alkali,  that  part  of  urine  which  combines  with  the 


47 

yolk,  does  not  injure  wool  unless  it  be  in  considerable  excess,  ©r 
too  much  heat  be  applied  ;  whereas  the  fixed  alkalies  operate  so 
powerfully  as  to  dissolve  a  portion  of  the  wool  at  a  temperature 
that  ivill  scour  it. 

Urine  that  is  fresh  voided,  will  not  scour  well.  That  from  per- 
sons living  on  plain  diet,  is  stronger  and  better  than  from  luxuri- 
ous livers.  -The  cider  and  gin  drinkers  are  considered  to  ^ive  tiie 
worst,  and  the  beer  drinker  the  best.  When  the  urine  is  collected, 
it  should  be  kept  in  close  vessels  until  it  has  completely  under- 
gone those  changes  by  which  its  ammonia  is  develo,  ed  M'dny 
English  manufacturers  keep  it  in  large  vats  with  close  coveis,  und 
I  have  seen  six  of  these  at  one. factory,  holding  nearly  two  thou- 
sand gallons  each,  all  full :  they  keep  working  the  oldest  and  iill- 
ing  up  as  they  are  emptied. 

Those  who  would  wish  to  become  acquainted  with  the  compo- 
nent parts  of  what  has  to  be  removed  from  wool,  and  of  ihe  pro- 
perties in  urine  by  which  they  are  to  be  removed,  mav  consult 
Vauquelin's  Analysis  of  Wool  and  Urine.  They  will  there  see, 
that  nine-tenths  of  the  salts  of  fresh  voided  urine  are  acid ;  whilst 
in  a  stale  state,  they  are  altogether  alkaline,  eight-ninths  bein**" 
ammoniacal.  The  material  to  be  detached  from  wool  is  princi- 
pally an  animal  fat,  wliich  forms  a  soponaceous  compound  with 
tlie  ammonia  of  the  urine,  which  will  readily  wash  out  in  water. 
The  ammonia,  if  any  remains  about  the  wool  in  an  uncombined 
state,  iii  so  volatile,  as  to  escape  while  the  wool  is  drying,  leaving 
it  free  from  oil  or  salts.  When  the  practice  corresponds  so  ex- 
actly with  the  chemical  analysis,  it  proves  that  the  operation 
pursued  by  the  manufacturer  has  attained  its  utmost  degree  of 
perfection. 

To  make  a  new  liquor  for  scouring  fine  wool,  use  one  bucket 
of  urine  to  two  of  water.  Some  wool  requires  more  and  some 
less  o^"  urine ;  if  too  much  is  used,  the  wool  will  be  stringy  and 
difficult  to  work ;  if  too  little,  the  yolk  and  grease  will  not  be 


J 


4S 

cleansed  out  of  it.  The  same  proportions  of  urine  and  waler  a* 
are  used  in  making  a  new  liquor,  should  be  erapioyed  in  lilling  up 
during  the  progress  of  the  work.  The  urine  should  be  old,  and 
the  water  the  softest  that  can  be  procured.  It  occasionally  haj>- 
pens  that  a  liquor,  when  fresh  made,  will  not  scour  well ;  when- 
ever this  occurs,  mix  one  or  two  quarts  of  soft  soap  in  hot  water, 
and  add  it  to  the  liquor ;  but  this  should  never  be  done  if  the  men- 
i^truum  will  scour  well  without  it. 

"NMien  a  liquor  is  properly  prepared,  a  frame  with  cross  bars 
must  be  placed  over  the  furnace,  resting  on  the  curb ;  this  is  in- 
tended to  receive  the' wool  when  taken  out  of  the  scouring  furnace. 
As  much  wool  is  immersed  in  the.  scouring  liquor  at  once  as  will 
work  easy  therein;  when  entered,  it  requires  to  be  worked  back- 
wards and  forwards  for  the  space  of  five  minutes,  and  to  remain 
in  altogether  from  fifteen  to  twenty- five,  accoi-ding  to  the  rapidity 
with  which  the  yolk  and  grease  is  dissolved.  To  know  when  the 
solution  is  completed,  take  a  handful  from  the  furnace,  squeeze 
the  liquor  well  out  of  it,  and  wash  it  in  water.  By  examining 
this  sample,  the  workman  can  see  whether  or  not  it  be  cleaa. 
When  clean,  take  it  out  of  the  liquor  and  throw  it  on  the  cross 
bar  over  the  furnace,  and  let  it  lie  there  ten  ijainutes  for  the  liquor 
to  drain ;  then  have  in  another  quantity,  and  work  in  the  furnace  as 
before.  There  should  be  enough  scoured  at  once  for  three  wash- 
ings, which  will  save  much  time  that  is  now  lost  at  the  scouring 
furnace.     Wash  as  before  directed,  till  perfectly  clean. 

The  scouring  liquor  should  not  be  too  cold  nor  loo  iiot,  the 
proper  temperature  is  from  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  to  one 
hundred  and  tliirty  degrees,  Fh.  and  it  ought  never  to  be  lower  tlian 
one  hundred  and  twenty.  If  the  wool  be  inunersed  in  too  hot  a 
liquor,  it  will  be  slammed,  as  the  workmen  phrase  it — that  is,  it 
will  become  matted  and  stringy,  and  the  yolk  will  be  so  perma- 
nently fixed  in  it,  as  to  be  immoveable  by  any  subsequent  process. 
When,  therefore,  a  new  liquor  is  made,  and  also  every  morning 
before  the  work  begins,  let  the  workman  take  a  handful  of  un- 


49 

scoured  wool,  and  dip  it  fire  or  six  times  in  the  liquor,  working  it 
each  time  backwards  and  forwards,  and  then  wash  it  to  try  if  it  be 
clean  ;  if  the  sample  does  not  scour  well,  the  heat  must  cither  be 
raised  or  lowered,  and  if  this  does  not  produce  the  desired  effect, 
the  error  must  be  either  in  the  strength  or  weakness  of  the  lixir 
vium,  and  more  urine,  or  more  water  must  be  added,  according  to 
the  experience  of  the  workman. 

There  are  three  chemical  operations  in  a  woollen  factory  :  the 
scouring  of  the  wool,  the  dying  and  the  braying.  Manufacturers 
would  find  it  much  to  tlieir  advantage  to  require  such  a  knowledge 
of  the  science  as  to  understand  the  rationale  on  which  these  ope- 
rations are  founded,  as  it  would  often  prevent  them  from  attempt- 
ing experiments  that  are  highly  injurious  to  their  interest.  Per- 
sons acquainted  with  the  theory,  would  never  scour  wool  with 
potash,  or  any  of  the  fixed  alkalies  ;  they  would  know  that 
greasy  wool  could  never  be  coloured  with  any  credit  to  them- 
selves, or  to  the  dyer  they  employed,  and  they  would  be  aware 
that  warm  water  and  soap  would  not  answer  in  braying,  or  that 
operation  by  which  the  grease  and  size  are  taken  out  of  cloth 
after  weaving. 

When  wool  has  been  scoured,  that  part  which  is  to  be  colour- 
ed is  sent  to  the  dye-house,  and  that  which  is  intended  to  be  dried 
for  white  work,  is  spread  out  on  sheets,  or  platforms,  and  exposed 
to  the  sun  and  air.  I  shall  treat  fully  on  the  drying  of  white  and 
coloured  wool  in  this  place,  which  will  make  it  unnecessary  to 
revert  again  to  the  subject. 


DRYING  OF  WOOL, 

THERE  are  three  modes  of  drying  wool,  one  by  open  exposure 
to  the  sun  and  air,  r.noiher  by  a  fire  stove,  and  a  third  bj-  an  air 
stove.    It  would  be  found  useful  by  manufacturers  who  have  laro-e 
5  ° 


50 

concerns  to  have  both  an  air  and  a  fire  stove.     Tlie  latter  would 
be  wanted  in  the  winter,  and  the  former  in  the  summer. 

In  Eng-land  the  wool  fire  stove  is  a  circular  building-,  either  of 
brick,  or  stone,  of  about  sixteen  feet  diameter  in  the  clear,  con- 
taining three  floors,  the  height  of  each  being  eight  feet.     The  two 
upper  floors  are  laid  with  strips  of  well  plained  inch  board,  two 
inches  on  the  face,  and  sufficient  appertures  are  left  between  the 
strips,  for  the  heat  and  steam  to  pass,  yet  close  enough  to  prevent 
the  wool  from  falling  through.     Itis  heated  by  a  cast  iron  stove 
three  feet  high,  in  diameter  two  at  the  bottom,  having  a  dome  top, 
and  open  at  the  lower  end.     In  the  centre  of  the  top  is  a  circular 
opening  of  eight  or  nine  inches  diameter,  in  which  is  inserted  a 
cast  iron  pipe,  that  passes  perpendicularly  through  the  centre  of 
the  building,  and  terminates  three  or  four  feet  above  the  roof; 
u  sufficient  space  is  left  round  the  pipe  where  it  passes  through  the 
floors  and  roof,  as   to  prevent  any  damage  from  the  fire ;  and  at 
those  places  the  pipe  is  steadied  by  iron  rings  around  it,  and  arms 
branching  from  them  which  are  fastened  to  the  floors  and  roof. 
The  iron  rings  are  large  enough  to  admit  the  pipe,  and  leave  a 
space  of  one  inch  between  the  two,  so  as  to  admit  of  the  pipe  being 
taken  out  when  by  any  circumstance  it  should  be  rendered  neces- 
sary, as  well  as  to  cut  off  the  communication  between  the  two,  in 
order  to  prevent  the  heat  from  being  conducted  along  the  arms, 
by  which  the  safety  of  the  building  might  be  endangered.     Three 
wedges  with  bent  tops  are  dropt  in  between  the  pipe  and  each  ring 
to  keep  the  pipe  exactly  in  the  centre.     Tlie  lower  floor  is  paved 
either  with  stone,  brick,  or  cement  ;  and  the  stove  is  placed  ex- 
actly in  the  middle  of  the  building,  being  raised  a  few  inches  on 
bridi  work,  having  a  grate  at  the  bottom  to  let  the  ashes  through. 
The  interior  of  the  building  is  fitted  up  with  convenient  machines 
far  drying  wool.     These  arc  made  with  shafts  three  inches  in  diam- 
eter, cut  in  six  sides,  in  each  of  which,  inclined  holes  are  made  to 
put  in  arms  that  project  about  twenty  inches  from  the  shaft ;  these 
are  round  and  smooth,  being  about  one  inch  at  the  bottom,  and 
tapering  to  the  other  end  ;  they  are  made  of  any  hard  well  sen- 


51 

soned  vrood,  eacli  one  having-  an  elevation  from  the  shaft  of  about 
twenty  degrees,  and  when  the  whole  is  in  place,  it  has  a  spiral  ap- 
pearance. On  these  arms  the  wool  is  spread  to  dry.  One  circle 
i.f  armed  shafts  is  placed  round  the  wall,  and  as  near  to  it  as  they 
can  be  without  coming-  in  contact,  and  another  circle  between  it 
nnd  the  stove,  two  circles  on  each  floor,  with  room  between  the 
wo  for  a  man  or  bo}-  to  pass,  for  the  purpose  of  putting  on  and 
changing  the  wooL  The  arms  are  not  permanently  fixed  in  the. 
shafts ;  they  go  in  loose,  but  so  as  not  to  fall  out  when  the  wool 
is  put  on,  or  handled  for  turning.  The  shafts  are  secured  in  the 
lower  side  of  the  upper  floor  by  means  of  a  round  apperture  that  is 
rather  larger  than  the  end  of  the  shaft,  which  is  also  made  circular, 
and  by  a  bolt  at  the  lower  end  that  enters  a  hole  in  its  supporter; 
they  are  thus  fixed  in  order  that  they  may  be  moved  round  at  the 
pleasure  of  the  workmen,  to  enable  them  to  bring  all  parts  within 
their  reach  when  standing  on  either  side.  For  drying,  the  arms 
must  be  first  covered,  and  then  the  floor,  beginning  at  the  top  of 
the  stove  and  proceeding  to  the  ground  floor. 

There  must  be  an  apperture  in  the  roof,  where  the  steam  can 
pass  ofi";  and^herein  consists  the  advantage  of  a  circular  building  ; 
the  roof  being  conical,  and  the  stove  pipe  passing  through  its 
centre,  round  which  an  opening  is  left,  the  steam  naturally  rises 
to  that  part,  and  passes  ofi"  through  the  said  opening.  The  roof 
should  be  covered  with  slate  or  pan-tile  to  make  the  whole  per- 
fectly secure  against  fire.  This  stove,  if  properly  attended,  will 
dry  two  hundred  and  forty  pounds  of  wool  every  twelve  hours,  with 
a  moderate  consumption  of  fuel. 

An  air  stove  is  made  after  the  same  manner  as  the  drying  room 
of  a  paper  mill,  only  much  narrower:  it  is  to  be  filled  with  the 
same  kind  of  apparatus  for  drying  the  wool  as  described  for  the 
fire  stove. 

The  common  mode  of  drying  wool  I  need  not  describe,  as  every 
manufacturer  i?  well  acquainted  with  it. 


62 

It  maj  appear  to  those  who  are  i^orant  of  the  business,  tLat 
crying  of  wool  is  too  simple  an  (^ration  to  need  any  comment,  yet 
this  is  far  from  being  the  case.  There  are  points  to  be  obserr- 
ed  in  many  of  the  most  simple  operations,  which  have  an  essential 
bearing  on  the  interest  of  the  whole,  and  one  of  these  must  be  par- 
ticularly attended  to  in  wool  drying,  or  the  staple  wiU  be  materi- 
ally injured. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  wool  will  be  injured  by  exposure 
to  atmospheric  air-  after  it  has  been  scoured,  but  it  will  be  injured 
much  more  rapidly  by  being  exposed  to  the  sun,  or  to  the  high  tem- 
perature of  a  fire  stove.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  to  take  it  up,  in 
cither  case,  as  soon  as  it  is  dry,  and  in  the  summer  months  when  the 
atmosphere  is  clear,  and  the  sun  is  powerful,  it  should  be  taken  up 
before  it  is  quite  dry.  It  is  at  this  season  of  the  year  that  an  air 
fctore  is  usefuL  The  wool  is  partially  dried  in  the  sun.  and  then 
renH>Ted  to  the  air  stove,  where  the  drying  is  completed.  Those 
who  use  air  stoves  entertain  an  opinion,  that  wool  dried  in  thi<t 
way,  will  spin  better.,  and  handle  softer  when  in  cloth,  than  when 
dried  altogether  in  the  sun. 

In  a  fire  store,  the  heat  is  raised  to  and  kept  at  a  very  high  tem- 
fseratnre  until  the  wool  is  about  three  fourths  dry,  then  it  is  per- 
mitted to  cool  gradually,  until  it  approaches  to  about  ninety  de- 
grees, at  which  heat  the  drying  may  be  finished  with  safety.  One 
hour^  exposure  to  the  sun  in  the  summer,  or  to  a  similar  heat  in  a 
stove,  after  the  wool  is  dry,  will  sensibly  injure  the  flexibility  oi 
its  staple.  It  is  necessary  for  the  American  manufacturer  to  pay 
partictilar  attention  to  this  during  the  summer  months  ;  for  if  the 
^  ool  be  injured  by  unnecessary  exposure  at  that  season  in  the 
mild  climate  of  England,  how  much  more  must  it  be  injured  here, 
where  the  heat  oi  the  EUn  ranges  from  twenty  to  thirty  degrees 
hisrher. 


53 


TWILLING  THE  WOOL, 

WHEN  wool  is  dried  after  scouring-,  or  after  colouring,  it  has 
to  be  passed  through  the  twilly,  to  open  the  locks,  and  to  seperate 
all  the  dust  and  other  filth  from  it.  Since  my  remembrance  this 
was  altogether  performed  by  women,  who  beat  it  with  rods,  on  hur- 
dles made  for  the  purpose,  which  separated  the  dust  from  tlie  wool 
and  opened  the  locks,  and  they  afterwards  picked  out  by  hand  all 
the  lints,  straws,  or  whatever  larger  filth  might  adhere  to  it.  Some 
manufacturers  have  pursued  this  mode  of  working  it  to  the  present 
day,  and  assert  they  are  no  losers  by  it,  imagining  that  the  picking 
machines  not  only  injures  the  staple  by  breaking  it,  but  that  it  is 
nothing  like  so  well  cleaned.  There  are  different  kinds  of  ma- 
chines for  the  opening  and  cleaning  of  wool,  such  as  devils,  twil- 
lies,  and  tuckers.  It  is  of  little  consequence  which  is  employed, 
•J  that  the  wool  is  well  opened  and  made  thoroughly  clean. 


OILING  OF  WOOL. 

AFTER  wool  has  been  passed  through  the  twilly,  it  has  to  be 
oiled,  which  operation  is  performed  by  first  spreading  a  ?hin  layer 
of  wool  on  a  clean  floor,  surrounded  by  boaids  to  prevent  its  falling 
about,  some  oil  is  lightly  spread  over  this  first  layer,  either  with 
the  fingers,  or  a  watering  pot ;  another  layer  of  wool  is  then  spread 
over  the  first,  which  is  oiled  in  its  turn,  and  so  on  till  the  whole 
has  been  oiled.  From  two  to  tliree  pounds  of  oil  are  in  England 
spread  over  twenty  pounds  of  wool :  the  latter  quantity  is  rarely 
exceeded,  excepting  in  some  particular  colours,  in  whicli  acid  mor- 
dants, or  strong  astringents,  have  been  used.  In  this  country  it  is 
customary  to  use  a  quart  of  oil  to  ten  pounds  of  blue  wool,  and  fre- 
quently a  quart  to  eight  pounds :  why  this  should  be  necessary 
I  cannot  account,  but  I  have  often  heard  the  spinners  compbin 
when  only  a  quart  to  ten  pounds  has  been  used. 
5* 


64 

After  wool  has  been  oiled,  it  sboald  be  xreU  mixed  together,  and 
let  it  lie  in  a  heap  for  some  hours  to  give  time  for  the  oil  to  spread 
itself  through  all  parts  eqnallv,  and  to  penetrate  the  pores  of  the 
wool.  In  warm  weather  the  oil  will  be  sufficiently  liquid,  in  win- 
ter an  artincial  heat  is  necessary  to  liquify  it,  and  at  this  season 
ihe  operation  of  oiling  should  be  performed  in  a  wann  room. 

The  benefit  to  be  derired  from  this  process  will  rery  much  de- 
pend on  the  quality  of  the  oil.  In  choosing  it  for  this  purpose 
three  qualities  are  essentially  necessary :  clear  and  limpid,  con- 
taining little  or  no  mucilage,  it  roust  not  possess  any  dr\  ing  pro- 
perty and  must  be  such  as  will  easily  form  a  sponaceous  compound 
with  the  Tolatile  alkali.  Oil  containing  much  mucilage,  fills  the 
machines  with  filth,  soon  clogs  them  np  and  retards  the  spinning 
and  wearing  :  dri^ng  oils  harden  the  wool,  make  it  brittle  and  un- 
fit for  the  subsequent  operations ;  that  oil  which  will  not  readily 
form  a  soap  with  the  volatile  alkali,  can  never  be  scoured  out  of 
the  cloth  after  it  is  woven ;  it  will  form  a  clammy  substance  with 
the  soap  in  fulling,  which  adheres  so  tenaciously  to  the  fabric  that 
nothing  will  separate  it ;  and  if  it  has  to  be  coloured  afterwards, 
the  dye  never  can  be  permanently  fixed  upon  it.  It  is  certain, 
therefore,  that  animal  fat  of  any  kind,  and  nearly  all  the  fish  oils, 
together  with  some  that  are  extracted  from  the  seeds  of  vegetables, 
are  totally  unfit  for  tliis  purpose.  Neats  foot  oil  is  softening  and 
will  form  a  soap  with  urine ;  but  it  frequently  contains  too  much 
mucilage  to  rely  upon  its  use,  particularly  that  which  has  been 
boileil  from  stale  fc€t.  Olive  oil  of  that  impure  kind,  which  is 
sold  under  the  name  of  Grtihpoli,  possesses  all  the  necessary  qualifi- 
cations, and  is  generally  used  in  Europe  for  the  purpose.  This  is 
imported  in  butts,  pipes,  &c.  and  in  England  is  sold  by  the  tun. 

1  have  no  doubt  the  olive  could  be  raised  in  some  parts  of  iJn; 
•^^•ountry,  and  suficient  oil  made  to  supply  not  only  for  home  con- 
sumption,  but  also  for  exportation.  I  am  informed  that  a  cwnpany 
of  French  gentlemen  have  associated  for  the  purpose  of  planting 

the  oIiv». 


55 

There  are  also  fruits  and  seeds  from  which  a  good  oil  may  be 
extracted.  Tlie  poppy  seed  affords  an  oil  equally  as  good  as  the 
olive,  and  the  produce,  independently  of  the  oil,  is  highly  valua- 
ble, and  brings  great  profit  to  the  raiser.  The  sun-flower  seed 
gives  a  fine  oil.  I  once  raised  a  few  to  try  it,  and  had  three  quarts 
ex-pressed  cold.  It  proved  fine  and  sweet.  I  used  it  on  full 
blooded  merino  wool,  and  it  appeared  to  answer  as  well  .as  the 
finest  olive.  I  have  heard  others  say,  who  had  tried  it,  that  it  was 
too  mucilagenous  ;  but  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  what  they  used 
was  either  too  hot  pressed,  or  stamped  in  bags  full  of  linseed,  or 
rape  seed  oil,  which  would  render  any  small  quantity  sufficiently  im- 
pure to  destroy  its  quality  for  this  purpose.  The  sun-flower  seed 
does  not  afford  a  great  quantity  of  oil,  it  is  said  to  be  a  dry  seed  ; 
but  as  a  compensation  for  this,  the  land  produces  a  large  quantity, 
and  the  cake  is  probably  the  best  known  feed  for  cattle,  horses, 
or  hogs.  The  nut  of  the  beech,  or  what  is  called  beech  mast,  is 
?aid  to  give  an  oil  as  good  as  the  olive,  and  is  used  as  a  substitute 
for  it  in  many  parts  of  the  European  continent. 

Doctor  J.  Morgan,  in  the  transactions  of  the  American  philo- 
sophical society,  has  given  an  essay  on  the  raising  of  the  sun-flow- 
er, andthc  extracting  of  oil  from  its  seed.  These  experiments  were 
made  at  Bethlehem  in  Pennsylvania :  his  essay  informs  us,  "  that 
one  acre  will  yield  to  the  planter  from  forty  to  fifty  bushels  of  seed, 
and  that  from  each  bushel  can  be  extracted  nearly  one  galjon  ot 
mild  oil."  When  oil  is  intended  to  be  used  on  wool,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  give  only  a  moderate  degree  of  heat  previous  to  press- 
ing ;  for  if  it  has  too  much,  tlie  oil  will  contain  so  great  a  portion 
of  mucilage  as  to  ruin  it  for  this  purpose. 

When  ia  England,  three  years  since,  I  copied  the  following  no- 
tice from  a  work  then  recently  published.  "  It  is  reported,  a  per- 
son is  going  to  take  out  a  patent  for  making  a  small  hand-mill, 
for  every  family  to  make  their  own  sweet  oil.  This  may  easily  be 
done,  by  grinding  or  beating  the  seeds  of  while  poppies  into  a 
paste,  then  boil  it  in  water,  and  skim  off  the  oil  as  it  rises :  one 


66 

bofihelof  seed  wd^Sis  Efijpoimds,  asd  pradoces  two  gallons  :. 
oiL  T%e  pofiiMes  «iU  groir  in  any  g-airdes :  it  is  the  lai^  head 
wkite  papf9^t  ei^  Inr  apotibecari^.  When  tbe  seed  is  taken  out . 
^^  PTPST  l>c^  «rlm  dried,  b  bailed  'to  an  exlrac  t,  whicb  is  sold 
at  tvD  sfaiDiBgs  per  oenoe,  and  is  to  be  piefieiicd  ti)  opium.  Lai^ 
fiirtwtifffi  moLj  be  aoq^inBd  by  tbe  cnltiTatiaB  of  pc^^^-^ 

in  4be  ArtiO^  Mammd,  bj  JamK  Cndiidi,  Esq.  there  is  mach 
Taloable  JniBifMuliuu  on  tiis  sobjert,  voder  die  bead  ■*  aSL7>  Tbe 
ibtljovriiag^  is  so  reanaiicable  ibr  its  qnalily  and  great  pnsduce  as  to 
iodnoe  ne  to  extract  it;  fat  if  tbe  seed  can  be  obtained,  and  t^  e 
farmeR  can  be  prevailed  opon  to  rake  it  in  anj  part  of  tbe  U  oitod 
SlatiK,  a  fioppiy  mj^jbt  be  aJMained  saffideat  ftr  tbb  and  otLer 
cosinliies. 

'■'  Bene,  or  Ben  Seed  OiL^ 

'-  On  tiie  snli^ect  of  €be  ben  seed  <mI,  "Qie  foSloiriaa^  letter  of  Mr. 
John  Moiel  to  Mr.  CbaxS^  TlMmi^waD,  Secr^aiy  of  the  Amencaii 
TiSasafhical  Societj,  at  Pbiiadriphia^  dated  SaFannak,  May  5tb. 
1769,  may  be  mefoL* 

**  I  seiikd  jum  a.  samll  keg-  of  h&ie^  or  ben  seed,  wLicb  yon  will 
please  to  present  to  yakw  sode^  tor  tiaeir  inspectioiL.  Tbis  seed 
Bskes  ofl  egnal  in  qnafiity  to  Floroioe,  and  some  saj  ^cderable. 
Same  sslj  one  bnndred  weight  of  seed  wfll  produce  ranety^poDDds. 
of  oil,  odios  say  1^;  be  that  as  it  will,  it  oertaiolj  laakes  very 
fine  oiL,  and  pnidno^  awtawliigljT-  K  k  is  pot  to  tlae  trial,  care 
^onid  be  taken  to  hare  the  pres  well  cleaned,  go  as  to  leave  do 
liactnre  bvmwhat  may  bore  been  already  prised.  In  my  opinicm 
this  K  an  astide  of  oonseqnenee,  arad  I  bdlieve  it  will  grow  in 
PcamifejlwjBMa-  The  way  to  sow  it  is  in  boles  about  titree  feel 
asurader,  diofyipg  in  each  hole  abont  ten  grains;  when  it  comes 
op,  ibin  it  to  ftree  «ir  iEbn-of  the  most  pwnifiing:  tbe  seeds  will 
appear  in  po^  abont  Scjitembq-,  and  sdionUU  wben  foil  grown, 
and  beiaic  dry,  be  gathered  in.   Tbemelhodisat  foSows:  e^sood 


57 

as  you  perceive  about  three-fourths,  or  four-fifths  of  the  pods  rise 
on  the  stalks,  and  the  lower  pods  begin  to  loosen  their  seeds,  it  is 
then  time  to  take  it  in ;  for  after  that,  as  much  as  ripens  one  day 
at  top,  so  much  falls  out  of  the  pod  at  bottom.  You  take  a  sharp 
hatchet-bill,  or  some  such  weapon,  and  with  it  cut  off  the  stalk 
from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches  below  any  of  the  seed,  holding  the 
stock  with  the  left  hand,  and  when  cut,  a  second  person  receives 
it,  keeping  it  upright,  till  he  has  his  load ;  for  if  you  turn  it  down- 
wards, the  ripe  seeds  will  fall  out  of  the  pods.  You  may  imme- 
diately carry  it  into  a  bam,  and  set  it  upright  on  a  close  floor,  till 
you  perceive  all  the  pods  fully  dry  and  open,  then  thresh  it,  and 
run  it  through  a  proper  seive,  and  it  is  fit  for  use." 

At  the  time  this  seed  was  sent  to  the  society,  the  consumption 
of  oil  in  America  was  an  object  of  little  consequence  ;  the  case  is 
now  altered  :  there  are  woollen  factories  in  operation  that  are  con- 
suming seventy  pounds  of  oil  daily,  and  others  are  beginning  to 
work  that  will  use  from  ninety  to  one  hundred  pounds.  If  this 
great  and  daily  increasing  demand  have  to  be  supplied  from  fo- 
reign countries,  it  will  be  adding  no  small  item  to  those  imports 
which  are  already  much  too  great  for  the  welfare  of  the  country. 


MIXING  OF  COLOURED  WOOL  AND  WHITE  FOR 
MAKING  MIXTURES. 

ONE-TENTH  part  of  white  makes  a  good  common  mixture 
with  any  coloured  wool ;  it  often  happens,  however,  that  either 
veij^  light,  or  very  dark  mixtures,  are  fashionable.  When  one 
or  more  of  white  wool  is  mixed  with  ten  of  coloured,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  throw  them  in  alternate  layers,  as  even  as  possible, 
and  then  pick  before  oiling ;  but  when  only  an  eye  of  white  is 
mixed  with  coloured  wool,  it  requires  more  attention  to  obtain  a 
regular  mixture.  If  from  one  to  two  pounds  of  white  are  re- 
quired to  be  mixed  with  seventy  or  more  of  coloured,  proceed  as 


58 

follows  :'first  mix  the  white  with  ten  pounds  of  (lie  coloured :  pass 
this  throug^h  the  picker,  then  mix  this  with  what  remains  of  tlie 
coloured,  and  pass  the  whole  throug-h  the  picker  a  second  time — 
then  oil  it  and  pass  through  the  picker  again :  let  it  be  now  scribled 
and  run  through  the  picker,  when  it  will  be  completelr  mixed  and 
fit  for  carding. 

\ 
My  receipts  give  directions  that  nine  pounds  fourteen  ounces  of 
oil  should  be  used  with  serenty-four  pounds  of  black  wool,  having 
ten  ounces  of  white  in  it;  in  this  country  it  is  common  to  use 
Jiine  quarts  of  oil  on  the  same  quantity  which  weighs  sixteen 
pounds.  I  cannot  account  for  this  any  other  way  than  by  sup- 
posing-that  the  wool  is  not  so  well  worked  down  in  the  breakers. 


SCRIBLING  AND  CARDING. 

THE  rnain  cylinder  of  a  scribler  is  called  by  workmen  the  fix- 
ture, a 'though  it  moves  with  greater  velocity  than  any  other,  ex- 
cepting the  fancy.  In  most  machines  four  cylinders,  called 
workers,  are  placed  round  the  top  of  that  part  of  the  main  which 
is  above  the  frame ;  to  each  of  these  is  attached  a  small  cylinder 
for  the  purpose  of  clearing  the  wool  from  the  workers,  and  carry- 
ing it  back  to  the  main  cylinder.  The  points  of  the  workers, 
when  in  motion,  meet  the  points  of  the  main,  and  are  set  some 
distance  from  it.  The  points  of  the  clearers  move  the  same  way 
as  those  of  the  main,  and  are  to  be  set  as  close  to  it,  and  to  the 
workers,  as  they  can  be,  witliout  coming  in  contact,  and  the  breast 
roller  the  same;  these  clearers  must  move  witli  much  greater  ve- 
locity than  tlie  workers.  The  breast-roller,  or  licker-in,  takes  the 
wool  from  the  feeding  roller,  and  delivers  it  to  the  main  cylinder ; 
then  takes  it  again  from  the  first  worker,  and  delivers  it  to  the 
main  a  second  time.  The  two  largest  cylinders  next  to  the  main, 
are  called  the  fancy  and  doffer,  their  use  is  to  raise  the  wool  upon 
the  main,  and  to  deliver  it  when  finished  by  the  worker?.     The 


59 

fancy  roller  raises  tlie  wool  upon  the  main  high  enough  for  tlie 
tloffer  to  take  it  off:  it  should  move  witli  a  velocity  greater  than 
the  main,  by  one  inch  in  twelve ;  the  points  move  in  the  same  di- 
rection as  the  main,  and  are  the  only  ones  that  comes  in  contact 
with  it.  The  doffer  has  a  slow  motion,  and  its  points  move  in  a 
direction  to  meet  those  of  the  main,  and  a  comb  takes  the  wool  off 
the  doffer.  A  carding  machine  is  made  ever}-  way  the  same  as  a 
scriWer,  excepting  that  the  doffer  is  clothed  with  sheet  cards  suf- 
ficiently wide  to  collect  wool  enough  for  one  roll,  and  a  space  left 
between  tlie  cards,  so  as  to  prevent  the  wool  from  interfering  one 
with  another.  As  the  wool  is  cleared  off  each  card,  by  the  comb, 
it  falls  under  a  fluted  roller  by  which  it  is  formed  into  rolls. 

There  are  many  trifling  variations  in  making  these  machines, 
which  it  will  be  useless  for  me  to  describe,  as  they  are  now  gene- 
i-ally  well  understood  in  this  country.  For  the  same  reason,  I 
should  have  considered  it  unnecessary  to  have  given  any  descrip- 
tion of  the  scribler,  nor  should  I  have  done  so,  with  any  otlier 
view,  than  to  elucidate  those  observations  that  will  subsequently 
be  made. 

The  workman  who  manages  tlie  scribling  and  carding  machines, 
must  take  especial  care  that  the  wool  be  properly  prepared,  by 
being  well  opened  in  the  twilly ;  for  should  it  be  lumpy,  the  work- 
ers will  have  to  be  placed  too  near  the  main  cylinder,  by  which 
the  wool  will  be  forced  so  far  into  the  wires  as  to  prevent  the  fan- 
cy from  raising  it  up  ;  of  course  it  will  pass  round  a  second  time, 
and  the  main  will  become  so  clogged  as  to  injure  the  working.  It 
is  on  this  account,  that  some  English  manufacturers  continue  to 
tave  their  wool  beat  and  picked  by  hand,  as  mentioned  under  the 
head  picking :  they  consider  that  the  extra  expense  incurred  by 
this  mode  of  working,  is  compensated  for,  by  the  wool  being  made 
cleaner  and  more  open,  and  by  the  consequent  durability  of  the 
cards.  The  best  machines  for  opening  the  wool  sliould  be  employ- 
ed, and  this  expense  need  not  be  incurred.  The  common  tucker 
generally  used  in  this  country,  does  not  open  the  wool  sufficiently 


60 

(nr  fine  work,  iL  dindes  it  into  much  smaller  lumps  it  is  tru  e,  but 
1  be  hairs  of  tlie  wool  are  not  well  opened  by  it-  The  English 
i^illy,  baring  fans  as  well  as  teeth,  is  the  best  machine  for  this 
purpose ;  and  any  manufacturer,  desirous  of  having  one,  need  only 
apply  to  Mr.  Charles  Neal.  machine  maker,  at  Hartford,  Connec- 
tjcut.  This  gentleman  was  connected,  for  fourteen  years,  with  one 
of  the  best  machine  makers  in  the  west  of  England,  and  those 
who  employ  him  will  have  their  machines  made  in  great  perfection, 
and  the  work  performed  very  faithfully. 

The  licker-in  must  be  so  placed,  as  to  take  all  the  wool  from  the 
feeding  rollers,  and  deliver  it  to  the  main  cylinder.  The  machine 
must  be  fed  even  and  regular.  The  working  cylinders  must  not 
be  placed  too  near  the  main,  yet  near  enough  to  work  down  the 
wool  as  much  as  it  will  bear.  For  carding  of  fine,  they  are  to  be 
placed  considerably  nearer  than  when  set  for  coai^e  work,  and  the 
distance  must  be  regulated  by  the  quality.  The  doffer  must  be  as 
close  to  the  main  as  it  can  be,  without  coming  in  contact,  for  should 
it  fail  to  take  off  all  the  wool,  what  passes  round  a  second  time, 
will  be  nippy,  and  an  unusual  quantity  of  f  ock  will  be  found  un- 
der the  machine.  It  scarcely  need  be  mentioned,  that  every  cylin- 
der should  be  exactly  parallel  with  the  main,  and  that  the  fancy 
and  doffer  are  of  more  consequence  in  this  respect,  than  any  of 
the  others. 

"When  a  new  carder,  or  scribler  is  made,  or  old  ones  are  newly 
covered,  it  should  be  done  with  cards,  number  thirty-three,  for 
fine  work,  and  with  number  thirty-two  for  middling  qualities.  The 
cards  are  filled  with  flocks,  excepting  those  on  the  fancy,  to  a  little 
below  the  bends  of  the  wire :  with  white  shear  flocks  for  white 
work,  and  with  coloured  for  coloured  work.  The  perfection  of 
the  workmanship  depends  on  its  being  free  from  lumps  and  nips, 
and  the  hairs  of  the  wool  regularly  separated  from  each  other, 
without  the  staple  being  broken.  The  rolls  when  held  up,  be- 
tween the  person  examining  it  and  the  light,  should  appear  per- 
fectly clear,  and  of  the  same  size  and  substance  the  whgle  length, 


61 

ex-cepUng-  a  diminution  at  the  tips,  as  far  as  they  join,  so  that  when 
two  are  rubbed  together,  they  may  as  nearly  as  possible,  be  the 
size  of  one.  It  is  also  necessary  that  every  roll  be  of  the  same 
size,  and  contain  exactly  the  same  quantity  of  wool,  which  they 
will  be  if  the  doffer  cards  are  all  of  the  same  breadth,  and  the  ma- 
chine is  fed  rcsrular. 


THE  SLUBBER. 

THIS  machine  should  contain  forty  spindles.  The  sheets  placed 
on  the  rollers,  are  moved  by  a  string-  attached  to  a  mouse  under 
the  carriag-e,  to  which  string  hangs  a  small  weight.  When  the 
yarn  is  intended  to  be  fine,  the  mouse  is  placed  nearer  the  spin- 
dles, and  farther  from  them  when  intended  to  be  coarser.  The 
spindles  should  be  made  and  set  so  that  the  band  may  move  them 
all  equally,  and  with  a  light  motion.  When  a  billy  has  too  much 
twist,  it  is  difficult  to  draw  out,  and  when  too  little,  the  thread  in 
some  places  will  be  large,  and  in  others  small,  being  what  is  call- 
ed gouty:  an  equal  thread  is  the  criterion  of  perfect  work.  It 
will  occasionally  happen,  in  drawing  out,  that  one  or  two  threads 
only  will  be  gouty.  In  that  case  they  must  be  taken  off  by  the 
slubber  and  thrown  into  the  waste  basket.  When  it  is  intended 
for  the  yarn  to  be  fine,  the  slubbing  also  must  be  fine,  and  vice  versa. 
The  twist  for  warp  and  filling  should  be  different,  when  one  is 
twisted  with  an  open  band,  the  other  should  be  done  with  a  cross 
band. 


SPINNING. 

A  JENNY  ought  never  to  contain  less  than  seventy  spindles, 
and  is  still  better  with  eighty.     The   principal  operation  in  spin- 
ning, consists  in  taking  up  and  twisting.    When  the  slide  is  drawn- 
6 


62 

out  a  sufficient  distance  to  take  up  the  clove,  tbe  twist  of  tbe 
jenny  must  first  undo  that  which  was  given  by  the  billy  in  slub- 
bing,  and  give  to  it  a  little  additional  twist  before  it  be  drawn  any 
farther  out;  the  clove  is  then  taken  up,  and  the  slide  is  gradually 
drawn  to  the  extremity  of  the  machine,  the  workman  con- 
tinuing the  twist  as  he  di-aws  it  out.  If  too  much  twist  be  given 
to  it,  either  before  closing  the  clove,  or  in  drawing  out  afterwards, 
the  work  will  be  so  bound,  that  the  slide  will  not  slip ;  if  two  little 
twist  be  given,  it  will  draw  into  gouty  threads,  thin  in  places,  and 
uneven  all  along.  When  drawn  out,  if  it  be  intended  for  fine 
yam  for  warp,  it  must  have  twenty-five  turns  of  the  large  wheel. 
The  faller  must  now  rest  on  the  threads,  and  the  yarn  be  twisted 
the  contrary  way,  till  that  which  before  rested  on  the  points  of 
the  spindles,  return  on  the  cops;  while^the  slide  is  returning,  the 
twist  must  be  given  as  at  first.  For  fine  work,  the  clove  must  be 
taken  up  short,  for  coarse,  longer,  and  the  latter  must  also  have 
less  twist. 

I  have  given  directions,  in  twisting  for  warp,  that  it  should  have, 
after  drawing  out,  twenty-five  turns  of  the  large  wheel:  but  as 
scarcely  any  two  jennies  are  calculated  to  ^ve  exactly  tbe  same 
twist  by  the  same  number  of  turns,  no  directions  can  be  followed 
literally,  and  the  twisting  must  be  governed  by  the  judgment  of 
the  boss,  or  workman. 

Before  we  proceed,  it  will  be  necessary  to  explain  how  yarn  is 
calculated,  and  this  will  be  attended  with  some  difficulty,  as  the 
way  of  doing  it  varies  in  different  counties  in  England,  and  with 
different  manufacturers  in  the  same  county.  In  many  parts  they 
calculate  by  the  skein,  reckoning  so  many  to  the  pound.  I  shall 
give  an  account  of  the  mode  of  calculating  generally  pursued  in 
Gloucestershire,  wliich  is  by  the  run,  and  when  it  is  understood  that  a 
run  of  yarn  is  sixteen  hundred  yards,  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in 
reducing  any  other  mode  of  calculating  to  this  standard.  Yarn 
is  spun  from  two  to  ten  run  to  the  pound,  according  to  the  quality 
of  the  wool  and  to  the  purpose  to  which  it  is  intended  to  be  ap- 


63 

plied.  I  have  never  known  it  spun  more  than  six  run  for  broad 
felt  cloth,  and  ten  for  single  cassimere  ;  and  none  but  the  finest 
Saxony  wool  can  be  drawn  to  ten  run.  Nothing  can  be  more  in- 
jurious to  the  interest  of  the  manufacturer  than  the  attempt  to 
draw  wool  too  fine,  or  beyond  its  staple,  and  it  is  much  better  to 
keep  within  the  line  than  to  go  beyond  it.  There  appears  to  be  a 
mania  among  the  clothiers  of  the  present  day,  to  make  very  fine 
spinning,  and  although  this  has  been  pursued  beyond  its  maximum, 
yet  every  one  knows  that  the  cloth  now  made,  is  neither  better 
looking,  nor  any  thing  like  so  durable,  as  when  the  yarn  was  not 
spun  so  fine.  Tliere  is  a  medium  to  be  observed  in  this,  as  there 
is  in  every  thing  else,  and  those  who  deviate  much  on  either  side 
will  be  injured  instead  of  being  benefitted.  In  spinning  yarn,  that 
medium  lies  in  having  it  drawn  just  so  fine  as  to  draw  and  twist 
easily  and  readily  in  the  jenny,  without  much  breakage  ;  for  when 
chain  yarn  is  spun  too  fine,  beyond  the  staple  of  the  wool,  it  will 
break  too  much  in  spinning ;  will  be  difficult  to  weave,  and  will  not 
wear  well  when  made  into  garments.  It  is  essentially  requisite 
that  the  manager  of  a  woollen  factory,  when  he  receives  a  lot  of 
wool,  should  know  by  its  quality  how  fine  it  ought  to  be  spun,  and 
what  description  of  cloth  can  best  be  made  from  it ;  for  unless  he 
knows  this,  he  must  be  deficient  in  judgment,  in  one  of  the  most 
important  points  of  a  manager,  and  the  manufactory  that  is  under 
so  ignorant  a  director,  can  never  be  expected  to  flourish. 

The  yam  for  filling,  when  intended  for  broadcloth,  or  narrow,  if 
plain  wove,  will  have  to  be  spun  different  from  the  chain.  The 
yarn  1  have  before  described  is  for  chain,  that  for  filling  must  be 
spun  with  a  twist  the  reverse  of  this  :  it  must  not  be  twisted  so  hard 
and  somewhat  coarser :  when  the  yarn  for  chain,  is  six  run,  or 
nine  thousand  six  hundred  yards  to  the  pound,  the  yarn  for  filling' 
should  be  five  run,  or  eight  thousand  yards,  a  few  yards  less  being 
of  no  consequence,  provided  it  exceeds  not  four  hundred,  or  a  quar- 
ter of  a  run.  In  all  cases  the  yarn,  whether  for  chain  or  filling,  for 
one  piece,  should  be  spun  exactly  alike.     Chain  yarn  is  called  tlie 


64 

warp,  and  the  filling  the  abb.  Single  cassimere  is  filled  Triih  yam, 
spun  of  the  same  size,  and  with  nearly  as  much  twist  as  for  the 
warp.  Broadcloths  are  sometimes  kersey-wore  and  are  then 
called  rattinnets ;  the  manner  of  making  these,  and  of  milled  cassi- 
meres  will  be  hereafter  described. 

When  the  spinners  begin  any  given  lot  of  wool,  a  run,  or  some 
part  of  one,  either  half,  quarter,  or  an  eight,  should  be  snapped  and 
weighed,  in  order  to  ascertain  its  fineness  ;  this  is  done  to  enable 
tJie  manager  to  regulate  the  warping,  and  to  ascertain  what  quality 
of  filling  it  may  want.  All  the  warp  of  one  piece  of  cloth  should 
be  the  work  of  one  jenny,  and  the  filling  be  that  from  another ;  for 
if  the  work  of  two  spinners  be  mixed,  either  in  the  warp,  or  in  the 
filling,  the  cloth  will  be  rowy,  and  baggy,  a  defect  not  much  no- 
ticed in  this  market,  although  in  England  it  depreciates  the  value 
of  the  goods  from  ten  to  fifty  per  cent.  This  defect  may  appear 
in  cloth,  when  yam  is  spun  on  the  same  jenny-  If  the  pullies  that 
fTork  the  spindles  are  not  exactly  of  the  same  size,  or  the  bands 
working  ronnd  the  pullies  to  move  the  spindles,  should  any  of  them 
be  so  loose  as  to  slip  while  in  motion,  the  thread  from  those  spin- 
dles having  the  longest  pullies,  or  where  the  bands  slip,  will  have 
less  twist  in  them  than  others.  When  this  happens  in  spinning  o^ 
warp,  the  cloth  will  be  warp  rowy.  and  when  in  spinning  of  abb, 
it  will  be  abb  rowy ;  the  one  being  rowy  in  the  length,  and  the 
other  in  the  breadth  of  the  cloth.  The  same  effect  is  produced 
when  the  work  of  two  spinners  happen  to  get  mixed,  either  in  the 
warp,  or  filling.  This  is  a  common  defect  in  American  cloth  and 
OBght  to  be  particularly  attended  to 

A  napping  machine  of  two  yards  circim^ference,  is  a  necessary 
appendage  to  every  woollen  factory.  It  should  snap  at  forty  bouts  ; 
five  snaps  making  a  quarter  run  of  yam.  The  yam  is  calculated 
from  this,  which  must  be  done  accurately,  or  the  whole  system  will 
be  in  confusion,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter. 

In  many  English  manufactories  the  spinning  is  caJculated  by 


65 

skeins,  and  workmen  who  come  from  thence,  will  some  talk  of 
runs,  and  some  of  skeins,  without  knowing  the  length  of  either,  as 
none  but  raanagei-s  are  in  that  country  entrusted  with  this  essential 
part  of  the  business.  I  was  much  surprised  the  other  day,  in  con* 
Tersation  with  a  person  who  now  resides  in  New- York,  and  was 
some  years  since,  first  a  weaver  and  then  a  master  manufacturer  in 
England,  to  find  that  he  did  not  know  the  length  of  either  a  skein, 
or  a  run  of  yarn,  and  he  was  too  communicative  on  other  parts  of 
the  business  to  suspect  that  he  had  any  design  in  withholding  the 
intelligence.  Eight  score  bouts,  on  a  reel  of  six  feet  circumfer- 
ence, constitutes  a  skein  of  yarn  ;  therefore,  it  is  three  hundred 
and  twenty  yards,  and  consequently  five  skeins  make  a  run. 

A  machine  has  been  invented  by  a  Mr.  Brewster,  for  spinning 
by  mechanical  motion ;  I  have  seen  very  good  work  done  on  it, 
but  it  is  said  to  be  too  expenive,  both  in  the  first  purchase  and  ia 
the  subsequent  repairs.  It  would  appear  to  be  a  very  desirable 
object  to  spin  on  a  machine,  where  the  twist,  when  once  fixed  for 
any  given  kind  of  work,  would  always  be  the  same.  When  yara 
is  entrusted  to  a  spinner  to  be  worked  by  hand,  he  must  be  very 
attentive,  or  some  drafts  of  yarn  will  have  a  greater  twist  than 
others,  as  half  a  turn  of  the  large  wheel  would  make  two  per  cent, 
difference  in  the  twist  of  fine  warp. 

I  was  at  a  factory,  not  long  since,  in  New-Jersey,  where  they 
calculated  yam  by  the  bier,  a  mode  of  doing  it,  I  believe,  peculiar 
to  those  managers.  They  boasted  highly  of  the  secret,  which  they 
informed  me,  was  obtained  from  an  old  countryman,  who  ihey  said 
was  the  only  person  they  had  ever  met  with  that  knew  any  thing 
of  calculating  yarn.  I  am  aware,  as  before  stated,  that  very  few 
working  Englishmen  know  any  thing  of  this  part  of  the  business ; 
and  this  1  am  certain  of,  that  so  preposterous  a  mode  of  doing  it, 
must  have  been  introduced  by  the  person  giving  the  information, 
or  he  must  have  picked  it  up  from  some  one  in  this  country,  who 
knew  nothing  of  English  calculations.  A  run  of  yarn,  as  before 
mentioned,  is  sixteen  hundred  yards  ;  a  skein  is  three  hundred  and 
6* 


66 

twenty,  or  one  fifth  of  a  run.  A  bier  is  twice  nineteen,  twice 
twenty,  or  twice  twenty-one  threads,  of  an  indefinite  leng-th  ;  the 
run  and  skein  are  the  different  ways  of  calculating^  spinning  :  the 
bier  for  the  warping,  and  the  blending  of  the  two,  proves  that  the 
person  giving  such  directions,  was  ignorant  of  what  he  was  doing ; 
it  was  hterally  the  blind  leading  the  blind. 

One  of  the  managers  was  so  obliging  as  to  give  me  a  list  of  this 
mode  of  calculating ;  but  it  was  some  time  before  I  could  obtain 
any  certain  account  of  the  length  of  yam  in  a  bier,  the  manager 
who  gave  the  list,  appearing  to  know  nothing  about  it,  and  the 
boss  wearer  was  tlie  only  person  from  whom  I  could  gain  this  ne- 
cessary piece  of  information.  I  need  only  give  an  account  of  their 
plan,  to  show  its  absurdity,  and  to  prove  its  relative  disadvantage 
over  the  system  I  have  before  described. 

They~  suppose  two  thousand  six  hundred  yards  to  be  a  bier  of 
yarn,  and  from  this  number  they  make  their  calculations.  It  is 
of  little  consequence  from  what  number  of  yards  yam  is  calcula- 
ted, provided  that  number  can  be  reduced  by  geometrical  pro- 
gression, by  the  ratio  two,  to  a  small  number  of  yards  without  pro- 
ducing a  fractional  part  of  two  yards.  When  the  number  assumed 
wiU  not  admit  of  this,  it  makes  the  calculation  complicated  and 
troublesome.  Taking  a  run,  or  sixteen  hundred  yards,  as  the 
standard,  it  can  be  reduced  to  fifty,  without  a  fraction ;  but  when 
two  thousand  six  hundred  is  the  assumed  number,  it  cannot  be  re- 
duced below  six  hundred  and  fifty ;  without  one,  tlierefore,  the 
calculation  by  the  run,  must  be  as  the  quotient  of  six  hundred  and 
fifty,  divided  by  fifty,  or  thirteen  times  better. 

Two  bier  yam,  are  three  and  a  quarter  mn. 

Two  and  a  quarter  bier,  are  three  and  five-eighths  and  fifty  yards. 

Two  and  a  half  bier,  are  four  run  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
vardsi 


87 

Two  and  three-quarters,  are  four  run  and  three-eighths  and  .on« 
hundred  and  fifty  yards. 

Three  bier  yarn  are  four  run  and  scven-eig-hths. 

Tliree  and  a  quarter  bier,  are  five  run  and  a  quarter  and  fift/ 
yards. 

Cts.  Cls.  Yds, 

For  spinning  two  bier  yarn,  they  give  5i  per  bier,  or  1 1    for  5200 

two  and  a  quarter,      .6  ...  J  3i  for  5850 

two  and  a  half,        .     .     6h  .     .     .  16^  for  6500 

two  and  three-quarters,   7  .     .     .  19i  for  7150 

three, 7^  .     .     ,  22^  for  7800 

three  and  a  quarter,    .8  ...  26    for  8450 

This  is  the  highest  bier  they  go  to,  leaving  off  at  about  five  run 
and  a  quarter.  For  spinning  of  filling  for  broadcloth,  they  give 
from  four  to  six  cents  per  pound , 

I  have  made  this  digression  to  show  the  absurdity  of  their  mode 
of  calculating,  having  discovered  that  several  respectable  manu- 
facturers were  induced  to  believe,  from  the  boasting  of  the  parties, 
that  they  were  in  possession  of  some  important  and  highly  valua- 
ble secret,  and  it  being  necessary  in  the  infancy  of  a  manufactory, 
that  the  most  simple  and  least  complicated  plans  should  be  adopted. 


WARPING. 

THE  chain  is  calculated  by  biers  and  hundreds,  one  hundred 
being  five  bier.  The  bier  varies.  In  some  places  it  is  reckoned 
from  nineteen  threads,  in  some  from  twenty,  and  in  others  from 
twenty-one.     A  chain  is  warped  in  two  sides,  and  taking  nineteeti 


68 

Ikreads  as  Uie  standard,  each  hundrnd  will  be  t^^^ice  fire  tiroes 
nineteeQ  threads,  or  niaety-five  threads.  Supposing  I  want  a 
warper  to  warp  a  chain  of  seventeen  hundred.  I  should  give  orders 
to  have  it  warped  eighty-five  bier,  or  sixteen  hundred  and  fifteen 
threads  ;  and  as  a  chain  iswarped  in  two  sides,  each  one  contain- 
ing that  number,  it  will  necessarily  be  double  the  quantity,  or  tliree 
thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty  threads.  Taking  seventeen  hun- 
dred as  a  data,  by  which  to  calculate,  it  will  be  easy  for  any  manu- 
facturer to  make  an  estimate  of  any  other  given  hundred,  or  bier. 
It  being,  however,  necessary  to  know  how  to  regulate  the  spin- 
ning to  the  hundred,  and  this  to  the  width  on  the  loom,  I  have,  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  trade,  drawn  out  a  table  as  follows : 


Run  of  yam. 

Bier  to  irarp. 

6 

90 

5  1-2 

87 

5 

82 

4  1-2 

78 

4 

70 

3  1-2 

65 

3 

62. 

Width  on  the  loom. 

12  1-2  quarters. 
12  do. 

11   1-2        do. 
11  2  nail. 
11         do. 
10  3    do. 
10  1    do. 


Ninety  bier,  or  eighteen  hundred,  are  sometimes  set  thirteen 
quarters,  and  the  others  in  proportion ;  and  it  is  always  better  not 
to  crowd  the  chain  too  much  on  the  loom,  as  it  prevents  the  weaver 
from  putting  in  a  proper  quantity  of  filling.  It  will  now  be  clear- 
ly seen  why  the  manager  must  accurately  ascertain  the  length  of 
chain  yarn  in  a  pound,  as  it  comes  from  the  spinner ;  for  unless  this 
be  correctly  done,  be  can  have  no  data  by  which  to  regulate  the 
warping,  or  to  direct  what  filling  maybe  wanted  for  it.  He  should 
reel  five  snaps  on  the  snapping  machine,  described  under  the  last 
article,  which  will  be  four  hundred  yards,  or  a  quarter  run,  and 
having  weighed  it,  must  calculate  how  many  yards  there  is  in  a 
pound,  and  then  reduce  them  into  runs  by  dividing  by  sixteen  hun- 
dred, and  multiplying  these  by  five,  will  give  him  the  number  of 
skeins.  Or  he  may  divide  the  number  of  yards  in  a  pound,  bj 
three  hundred  and  twenty,  which  will  give  the  skeins,  then  by 


69 

five,  and  the  quotient  will  be  runs.  The  calculation  may  also  be 
made  in  a  more  direct  and  less  complicated  manner.  Supposing- 
the  four  hundred  yards  when  weighed,  should  be  exactly  four 
ounces,  it  will  be  one  run  to  the  pound ;  if  two  ounces,  two  run ; 
if  one  ounce,  four  run  ;  and,  if  half  an  ounce,  eight  run.  So  far  it 
would  be  very  easy  to  make  a  calculation,  but  not  so  when  the 
last  quantity  should  weigh  half  an  ounce  and  three  or  four  grains, 
or  any  other  odd  number.  It  is  better,  therefore,  for  every  marfa- 
ger  to  make  out  a  table  by  which  to  calculate,  having  previously 
fixed  upon  some  geometrical  portion  of  a  run  for  the  snap  of  the 
reel,  and  having  divided  a  quarter  pound  weight  into  geometrical 
parts.  In  order  to  make  this  system  as  clear  as  possible,  I  will 
give  a  specimen  of  the  table  referred  to.  We  will  take  a  quarter 
pound  as  the  standard  weight,  and  the  snapped  yarn  at  four  hun- 
dred yards.  The  weight  will  have  first  to  be  divided  as  follows  : 

Into  one  half  of  a  quarter. 
one  quarter  of     do. 
one-eighth  of     do. 
one-sixteenth  of  do. 
one  thirty-second  of  dot. 
one  sixty-fourth  of  do. 

one,  one  hundred  and  twenty-eighth  of  a  quarter 
one,  two  hundred  and  fifty-sixths  of  a  do. 

one,  five  hundred  and  twelfth  of  a  do. 

There  will  then  be  only  nine  weights  necessary  to  weigh  every 
quality  of  yam,  and  all  we  now  have  to  do,  is  to  asceitam  trhat 
proportion  each  of  these  weights  will  be  to  a  run  of  yarn.  Let 
the  weights  be  numbered,  beginning  with  the  largest,  from  one  to 
eine,  then  apply  the  following  table  : 

No.  1  is  the  half  of  one  run,  or  two  run  to  the  pound. 

2  is  the  quarter  of  one  run,  or  four  run  to     do. 

3  is  tlie  eighth  of  one  run,-  or  eight  run  to     do. 

4  is  the  sixteenth  of  one  run,  or  sixteen  run  to   dci. 


70 

No.  a  IS  me  tnirtv-second  of  one  run,  or  thirl j-two  run  to 
the  pound. 

6  is  the  sixty-fourth  of  one  run. 

7  is  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-eigLth. 

8  is  the  txvo  hundred  and  fifty-sixth. 

9  is  the  fire  hundred  and  twelfth. 

If  the  yarn  should  weig-h  number  three,  it  will  be  eight  run  to 
the  pound ;  if  it  weighs  number  three  and  four,  it  will  be  eight 
run  less,  one  half,  or  four  run  to  the  pound ;  if  it  weighs  number 
three  and  number  fire,  it  will  be  eight  run  less  one  quarter,  or  six 
nin  to  the  pound ;  if  it  weighs  number  three  and  number  sir,  it 
will  be  eight  run  less  one-eighth,  or  seven  run  to  the  pound ;  if  it 
weighs  ntunber  three  and  number  seven,  it  will  be  eight  run,  less 
one  sixteenth,  or  seven  and  a  half  run  to  the  pound,  and  so  on 
through  the  whole  series. 

It  will  readily  be  perceived  that  by  this  regulation,  tlie  manu- 
facturer need  only  weigh  the  yarn,  and  by  referring  to  the  table, 
he  will  be  able,  after  a  little  practice,  to  calculate  without  figures, 
by  merely  setting  down  the  proportions  as  there  stated. 

The  filling  for  broadcloth  should  have  just  as  much,  and  no  more 
twist,  than  will  enable  it  to  draw  ofi"  the  bobbins,  and  follow  the 
shuttle,  without  much  breakage.  It  must  not  only  be  looser  spuri. 
but  it  must  also  be  coarser  than  the  warp.  ^^Tien  a  chain  is  made 
from  spinning  of  six  run  to  the  pound,  the  filling  should  not  exceed 
five,  and  is  still  belter  when  only  four  run  and  three  quarters. 

The  manufacturers  of  the  west  of  England  have  varied  in  their 
mode  of  making,  twice  since  my  remembrance,  and  in  order  t*" 
obtain  the  newest  mode,  I  wrote  last  fall  to  a  clothier  in  Glouces- 
tershire to  inquire  how  they  were  at  this  time  making  their  broad- 
cloth and  cassimere.  The  result  of  that  inquiry  I  sb&U  proceei 
to  lay  down : 


71 

•^^  A  thirty-six  ell  (fifty-foor  yards)  chain  is  warped  eighty-four 
bier,  is  set  on  the  loom  eleven  and  a  half  quarters,  is  fulled  into 
six  and  a  half  quarters  in  cloth^  when  raised  and  tentered,  will  be 
fair  seyen  quarters,  and  if  well  wove,  will  measure  forty-two  yards. 
The  chain  should  weigh  twenty-two  pounds,  and  should  have  put 
into  it  fifty  pounds  of  filling.  The  warp  should  snap  twenty-six, 
and  the  filling  twenty  skeins  to  the  pound. 

"  The  mode  of  making  cassimeres  has  greatly  varied  ;  but  the 
best  makers,  are  warping  them,  both  double  and  single,  twelve 
hundred,  or  sixty  bier,  the  double  are  warped  thirty-four  ells, 
(fifty-one  yards,)  are  set  on  the  loom  twenty-one  nails,  and  fulled 
into  thirteen.  The  warp  and  the  filling  should  both  snap  twenty- 
eight  skeins  to  the  pound,  the  chain  should  weigh  fourteen  pounds, 
and  if  well  wove,  will  take  full  twenty-five  pounds  of  filling.  It 
should  measure,  when  finished,  forty-two  yards. 

"A  single  cassimere  chain  of  thirty  ells  (forty-five  yards)  should 
weigh  about  eleven  pounds,  and  if  Avell  wove,  will  take  from  sixteen 
to  seventeen  pounds  of  filling.  It  is  set  on  the  loom  seventeen  nails 
and  fulled  into  twelve  and  a  half.  The  warp  should  snap  thirty- 
six,  and  the  filling,  thirty -eight  skeins  to  the  pound,  and  should 
measure,  when  finished,  forty-four  yards." 

I  wish  to  be  very  particular  in  describing  this  part  of  the  busi- 
ness, as  it  belongs  solely  to  the  managers,  and  unless  well  under- 
stood by  them,  they  never  can  expect  to  make  cloth  regularly  good, 
or  with  any  prospect  of  success.  I  shall  endeavour  to  give  such 
directions  as  cannot  be  misunderstood,  and  to  make  such  calcula- 
tions as  will  enable  those  who  are  totally  ignorant  of  the  business, 
to  understand  it.  The  regulations  in  spinning,  warping,  and  weav- 
ing, may  be  said  to  be  the  primum  mobile  of  manufacturing ;  for 
should  every  other  part  be  executed  in  the  most  masterly  manner, 
and  these,  either  from  ignorance,  or  neglect,  be  imperfect,  the 
fabric  produced  can  never  be  good ;  and  if  ?i  piece  now  and  thea 


72 

snoold  prove  superior  to  the  general  ran,  it  wiii  be  owing  more  to 
chaince  tlian  to  desigo.  It  behoves  the  mannfkctiirer,  therefore. 
to  pay  particular  and  personal  attention  to  these  branches  of  the 
bosiness. 

When  a  chain  is  warped  twenty-one  threads  to  the  half  bier,  in- 
stead of  nineteen,  as  I  have  directed,  it  must  be  set  wider  on  the 
loom,  or  the  bier  must  be  lovrered.  To  enable  manufacturers  to 
understand  why  this  is  necessary,  I  will  make  a  calculation  to  show 
iLe  difference  between  the  two.  A  chain  of  spinning  that  is  six 
run  to  the  pound,  is  directed  to  be  warped  ninety  bier  of  twice 
nineteen  threads,  and  will  c<Hitain  three  thousand  four  hundred 
End  twentv  threads,  but  when  warped  twenty -one  threads  to  the 
hajf  bier,  a  chain  of  ninety  bier  will  have  in  it  three  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  eighty  threads ;  which  is  three  hundred  and  sLsty 
more  than  the  other,  or  nearly  ten  bier  of  twice  nineteen  threads 
additional ;  and  if  this  be  set  in  the  loom  the  same  breadth  as  the 
other,  it  will  be  so  crowded  as  to  prevent  the  weaver  from  putting 
in  a  proper  quantity  of  filling.  It  is  a  ccMnmon  filing  in  American 
«Dade  cloth,  that  it  is  de^cient  in  filling,  and  too  crowded  in  the 
warp. 

Tkis  calculation  proves  how  necessary  it  is  when  biers  are  spo- 
ken of.  that  the  managers  should  know  what  number  of  threads 
were  warped  to  make  it :  for  unless  this  be  understood,  tbey  will 
have  to  work  in  the  dark.  That  the  sjrstem  of  regulating  work 
mav  be  rei^ered  clear  and  easy  to  the  comprehension  of  every  one 
who  may  feel  an  interest  in  it,  either  as  readers  or  manufactuicrs, 
I  shall  add  a  table  that  will,  at  one  view,  present  to  them  the  whole 
subject  with  all  the  necessary  calculations. 

In  the  first  column  of  the  table  is  given  iLe  qvsliiy  ci  iiie  yam, 
beginning  for  broadcloth  at  six,  run,  and  proceeding  to  three 
run — the  second  gives  the  number  of  skeins  contained  ic  the 
runs,  the  third  the  length  of  thread,  the  fourth  the  hundred  whick 
it  dMmld  be  warped,  according  to  the  run,  and  the  fifth  the  bier 


INSERT  FOLDOUT  HER 


73 

contained  in  those  hundreds— the  sixth  the  number  of  threads 
contained  in  the  bier  when  warped  nineteen  to  the  half  bier,  the 
seventh  and  eighth  the  number  of  threads  when  warped  twenty 
and  twenty-one,  the  ninth  and  tenth  the  extra  number  of  biers 
contained  when  vyarped  twenty  and  twenty-one.  The  four  last 
named  columns  are  designed  to  show  the  manufacturer  that  when 
chains  are  warped  twenty  and  twenty-one,  the  number  of  biers 
must  be  lowered  so  ar  to  bring  the  work  to  the  standard  I  have 
marked  out ;  and  in  the  columns  twelve  and  thirteen  the  proper 
width  for  setting  cloth  on  the  loom,  according  to  the  run  of  the  yarn. 
The  fourteenth  column  gives  the  run  of  the  filling  for  each  quality 
of  warp,  and  the  fifteenth  gives  the  length  of  the  warp.  Then  fol- 
lows first  the  weight  of  filling  which  that  length  ought  to  have  fe-eat 
into  it  m  the  loom,  the  next  the  length  of  cloth  when  finished',  and 
then  the  breadth  when  fulled  and  when  finished. 

I  am  aware  from  what  little  I  have  seen  of  American  manufac- 
turers that  it  will  be  difficult  to  prevail  upon  the  workmen  to  per- 
form  their  weaving  agreeably  to  the  plan  I  have  laid  down  :  but 
the  owners  of  factories  may  rely  upon  it  that  the  nearer  they  can 
l)ring  their  work  to  this  standard,  the  more  nearly  will  their  cloth 
resemble  that  which  is  imported  from  the  west  of  England.  It  will 
be  perceived  that  when  broadcloth  is  warped  from  five  run  yarn, 
It  should  be  eighty.four  bier,  and  have  about  fifteen  ounces  of  fill' 
mg  to  each  yard  upon  the  length  warped ;  but  fifteen  ounces  of 
American  filling  will  not  make  so  stout  a  cloth  as  the  same  quan- 
tity of  English  filling  will  do-this  may  appear  paradoxical  at  first 
sight,  but  not  so  when  explained.  Fifty  pounds  of  American  blue 
wool  will  have  put  on  it  five  quarts  of  oil,  weighing  about  nine 
pounds,  while  the  same  quantity  of  wool  in  England  will  have  bare- 
ly  SIX  pounds;  therefore,  when  a  weaver  in  this  countr,  puts  in 
fifty  pounds  of  filhng,  the  cloth  will  have  in  it  three  pounds  less  of 
wool  than  when  the  same  weight  is  put  in,  in  that  countrr,  which 

rengr     ^  '^'^'''''''^  °^  °'^'^^  '""^  °''"''  "P'°  """^  y^^^'  ^^^ 
7 


74 


SIZING  THE  CHAIN 

IS  performed  in  a  liquor  prepared  by  boiling-  limed  pieces,  glue, 
or  skins  of  animals,  in  water  till  reduced  to  a  jelly.  The  chain 
is  moistened  in  a  weak  solution  of  this  liquor,  being"  passed  gra- 
dually through  it  while  it  is  warm,  in  a  large  washing  tub.  When 
a  few  yards  have  been  soaked,  and  wrung-  out,  another  lengtli  is 
put  in,  and  so  on,  till  the  wliole  has  undergone  the  operation.  The 
chain  is  shaken  as  it  is  wrung  out,  either  by  the  person  sizing  it, 
or  by  another  employed  for  the  purpose  ;  the  shaking  has  for  its 
object,  to  prevent  the  threads  from  adhering  together,  which  they 
would  do  from  the  adhesive  quality  of  the  glue,  if  the  chain  were 
permitted  to  lie  many  minutes  without  it. 

The  sizing  liquor  should  be  strong  enough  to  give  to  the  yam 
when  dry,  a  moderate  degree  of  hardness,  yet  not  too  stiff.  The 
chain  being  warped  in  two  sides,  each  one  is  sized  separately,  and 
when  this  has  been  performed,  they  are  taken  to  a  favourable 
situation,  stretched  and  dried.  In  some  factories,  this  is  done  by 
Land,  in  others,  by  a  machine  so  made  as  to  place  cross-bars  alter- 
jaately  under  and  over  the  chain,  by  which  any  stretch  or  pressure 
can  be  given  that  may  be  wanted.  When  a  chain  is  placed  on 
this  machine,  it  lays  at  first  on  the  bars  that  are  intended  to  re- 
main underneath  it,  being  every  other  one,  and  moderate^  strain- 
ed over  them  :  the  first,  or  liead  bar,  is  put  through  the  loops  of 
one  end,  and  the  other  end  is  fastened  by  pieces  of  thrum  to  the 
bar  at  the  other  extreme  of  the  length  of  the  chain.  A  wrave 
is  placed  on  the  chain  before  it  receives  any  strain,  and  passed 
from  the  head  to  the  last  end,  where  it  remains.  The  wrave 
should  have  as  many  pins  in  it  as  there  are  half  biers,  that  half  a 
bier  may  pass  through  each  space.  When  this  has  been  done,  the 
cross  pieces  that  go  over  the  chain]are  put  on,  the  necessary  strain 
given,  and  the  piece  left  to  dry. 

A  chain  should  be  4ried  when  the  atmosphere  is  dry  and  clear. 


75 

and  the  sun  not  too  powerful ;  for  should  the  day  be  close,  or  what 
is  vulgarly  called  murky,  and  the  sun  shining  very  warm,  the  g-lue 
is  apt  to  run,  and  leave  the  chain  so  supple,  that  it  will  not  weave. 
When  wool  dyed  warps,  or  mixture  are  to  be  sized,  a  little  whiting- 
IS  often  used  in  the  liquor  to  strengthen  the  yarn :  but  this  must 
never  be  used  in  white  work,  because  it  is  difficult  to  wash  out 
afterwards,  and  should  any  remain  in  the  cloth,  the  dye  would  be, 
injured. 


WEAVLNG. 

LOOMS  are  differently  made.  The  odd  fashioned  loom  has  the 
ehain  beam  placed  on  a  level  with  the  reed,  on  which  the  chain  in 
wound  from  the  wrave.  In  the  modern  loom  the  chain  beam  h 
placed  below,  and  the  chain  passes  over  a  bar  at  the  back.  The 
latter  has  this  advantage  over  the  former,  that  the  chain  is  always 
in  one  direction  with  respect  to  the  reed  and  the  work,  and  a  regu- 
lar stram  is  more  equally  preserved.  The  slay,  or  reed  has  to  be 
made  to  suit  the  work  wanted,  and  the  harness  adapted  to  both. 
In  some  factories,  they  have  the  cloth  woven  three,  and  in  others 
four  threads  through  each  split  of  the  reed  ;  but  this  is  never  done 
by  those  who  undertand  the  best  mode  of  working : '  they  never 
have  more  than  two  threads  in  a  split.  The  reeds  for  the  latter, 
are  more  expensive,  but  they  are  more  durable,  and  the  threads  of 
the  warp  are  not  so  much  chafed  during  the  working.  Every  yard 
of  broadcloth  should  have  from  fourteen  to  fifteen  ounces  of  fillin<y' 
woven  into  it,  warped  length.  It  will  be  unnecessary  to  instruct, 
in  this  place,  what  description  of  filling  is  necessary  for  any  given 
quality  of  chain,  as  by  referring  to  the  table  under  the  head  warp- 
ing, the  whole  can  be  seen  at  one  view. 

Good  workmanship  in  weaving,  is  of  more  importance  than  m 
any  other  branch  of  the  manufactory,  and  unless  this  be  well  exe- 
cuted, good  cloth  can  never  be  made.    A  first  rate  wearer  mar 


76 

make  bad  yarn  into  good  cloth,  but  when  the  fabric  is  badly  put 
together  in  the  loom,  all  previous  workmanship,  however  good, 
and  all  subsequent  labour  bestowed  upon  it,  however  ably  done, 
can  never  turn  out  a  good  article.  I  shall  endeavour  to  give  such 
instructions  as  will  enable  manufacturers  to  understand  what  has 
to  be  done  to  make  good  weaving :  yet  after  all  that  can  be  said, 
or  written  on  the  subject,  nothing  but  experience  can  make  them 
critically  acquainted  with  it ;  and  so  long  as  managers  are  content 
to  leave  this  and  other  important  branches  to  the  direction  of  un- 
der bosses,  so  long  will  their  concerns  go  on  imperfectly.  The  mas- 
ter manufacturers  in  England,  never  leave  the  direction,  or  in- 
spection, of  any  important  part  to  hirelings,  for  they  know  full 
well  that  one  hireling  will  colleague  with  others  of  the  same  class, 
although  he  may  be  placed  a  little  above  them.  The  master,  who 
is  ever  the  owner  of  the  factory,  gives  directions  what  has  to  be 
done,  and  he  personally  inspects  the  work,  to  see  that  it  is  executed 
agreeably  to  his  instructions. 

To  have  good  weaving,  the  warp  must  be  kept  tight  on  the  loom, 
and  the  filling  put  in  with  an  even  beat ;  that  is,  there  must  be  the 
same  number  of  threads .  in  one  inch  of  the  cloth  as  there  is  in 
another.  When  cloth  is  woven  with  a  loose  chain,  a  suflScient 
quantity  of  filling  cannot  be  put  into  it,  and  when  fulled  and 
finished,  it  will  be  then  in  texture,  and  feel  hollow  and  spongy — 
when  it  is  unequally  filled,  and  thin  in  places,  it  will  be  baggy  when 
finished,  owing  to  its  fulling  in  faster  in  the  places  that  have  been 
woven  thin,  than  in  others,  where  more  abb  has  been  beaten  in. 
When  two  small  a  quantity  of  filling  is  put  in,  and  yet  wove  even, 
the  cloth  will  full  very  rapidly  in  length,  so  that  the  manufacturer 
will  have  to  pay  from  five  to  ten  per  cent  more  for  bad  weaving, 
than  for  good.  It  often  happens  with  indifferent  weavers,  that  they 
Will  weave  one  side  of  the  cloth  tighter  than  the  other,  this  may 
be  occasioned  by  the  beaming  being  irregular,  having  been  strain- 
ed whilst  wintling  on,  more  on  one  side  than  on  the  other,  or  it 
may  occur  a'so  by  the  weaver's  irregularity  in  working.  When 
this  occurs,  the  cloth  will  be  what  is  vulgarly  called  lop-sided,  and 


77 

'in  dressing",  or  raising  the  nap,  that  side  which  has  had  the  greatest 
strain,  will  be  cut  against  the  list,  and  have  a  good  nap  raised  on 
it  before  the  other  is  more  than  two-thirds  raised. 

The  yam  for  filling  is  Usually  wound  on  bobbins  that  are  put 
into  the  suhttles  and  thrown  across  the  warp.  This  in  some  facto- 
ries, is  done  on  the  jenny  spi«dles  as  it  is  spun.  In  common,  how- 
ever, it  is  wound  oflFthe  jenny  cops  by  girls,  each  one  winding  for 
three  or  four  looms,  and  it  not  unfrequently  happens,  that  by  mis- 
take, or  carelesness,  the  bobbins  will  get  mixed,  or  those  intended 
for  one  cloth  will  be  taken  by  the  i^eaver  of  another ;  in  this  way 
two  kinds  of  spinning  become  mixed  in  the  same  piece,  when  such 
cloth  will  be  what  is  called  rowy,  that  is,  the  filling  of  one  kind  of 
spinning  fulling  in  faster  than  the  other,  will  leave  the  cloth  in 
some  places  tight,  and  in  others  loose  and  wrinkly.  This  is  a 
common  defect  in  American  made  cloth,  and  is  often  seen  in  that 
which  is  imported  ;  for  in  England  such  goods  will  not  sell  unle^^s 
at  a  considerable  reduction  in  price,  and  they  are  sent  to  this 
market  because  such  damage  has  not  yet  been  noticed  here. 
That  which  is  badly  rowed  is  not  considered  there  to  be  worth  more 
than  half  as  much  as  that  which  is  perfect ;  and  a  single  row  in  a 
whole  piece  depreciates  its  value.  This  defect  might  be  easily 
avoided  by  having  the  bobbins  filled  on  the  jenny ;  but  when  one 
girl  has  to  wind  for  three  or  four  looms,  it  cannot  be  so  easily 
remedied,  unless  they  could  be  made  steady  and  circumspect, 
which  I  believe  no  wise  man  will  willingly  undertake  to  do.  If 
the  plan  of  putting  out  chains  to  weavers  to  be  woven  at  their 
own  houses,  were  adopted  in  this  country,  such  defect  would  hap- 
pen but  very  seldom,  as  the  weavers  would  then  be  made  answerable 
for  all  avoidable  damage. 

In  many  factories  in  England,  the  yarn  is  reeled  into  skeins, 
and  tliese  are  made  wet  before  they  are  wound  into  bobbins;  in 
others,  where  the  bobbins  are  wound  from  the  jenny  cops,  they  are 
wetted  by  means  of  a  tin  suction  tube ;  for  in  weaving  of  all  kinds 


78 

cf  woollen  cloth,  it  is  absolutely  requisite  to  fill  with  wet  bobbins. 
They  are  wetted  with  a  mixture  of  water  and  urine,  or  water  and 
soap.  When  cloth  is  woven  with  dry  bobbins,  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  filling-  cannot  be  beat  into  it,  owing-  to  the  elasticity  of  the  wool, 
and  the  cloth  will  be  thin  and  spongy  ;  when  dry  bobbins  are  oc- 
casionally woven  in  by  carelesness,  or  mistake,  the  cloth  will  be 
rowy,  the  same  as  when  different  filling  has  been  shot  in  ;  and  if  a 
bobbin  be  not  wet  through,  the  outside  being  wet  and  the  inside 
dry,  the  cloth  will  also  be  rowj,  but  in  much  narrower  stripes  than 
before. 

When  a  cloth  is  begun  by  the  weaver,  he  should  in  warm 
weather  take  off  the  work  from  the  nether  beam,  or  that  beam  on 
which  the  cloth  is  rolled  when  woven,  at  least  every  other  night, 
and  hang  it  up  on  the  loom  to  dry  ;  for  as  it  is  woven  with  wet 
bobbins,  and  is  not  dry  when  wound  on  the  beam,  that  part  which 
lies  against  it,  unless  opened  as  directed,  is  apt  to  mould,  and  will 
appear  mill-dewed,  having  yellow  and  blue  spots  in  it,  and  is  not 
unfrequently  decayed  in  those  spots. 

A  cloth  from  the  loom  is  called  a  say,  or  flannel,  and  when  the 
weaver  has  taken  off  a  cut,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  manager,  which 
he  should  never  neglect,  to  give  it  a  close  and  critical  inspection, 
to  ascertain  if  the  weaver  has  done  his  duty,  and  to  fine  him  if 
lie  has  been  negligent  and  careless.  I  would  reccommend  that 
an  additional  price  be  given  for  every  piece  that  is  perfectly  woven, 
and  to  deduct  from  the  usual  charge  for  every  glaring-  defect. 
By  these  means  good  workmen  would  be  encouraged.  But  when 
they  find  that  bad  weaving  is  paid  for  at  the  same  rate  as  good,  it 
operates  as  an  inducement  for  those  who  know  and  can  do  better, 
to  make  inferior  workmanship. 

To  enable  a  manager  to  inspect  a  cloth  properly,  he  must  be 
provided  with  a  double  perch,  placed  before  a  wide  and  deep  win- 
dow, on  the  north  side  of  some  room  in  the  factory,  for  at  no  other 
light  can  defects  be  so  easily  seen.     A  perch  is  made  with   two 


79 

<cros8-bars  suspended  from  the  ceiling-,  placed  from  six  to  sevea 
feet  above  the  floor  of  the  room,  and  parallel  with  the  window. 
The  front  bar  is  two  feet  from  the  light,  so  as  to  enable  the  inspect- 
or to  stand  between  the  window  and  the  cloth,  the  second  is  placed 
three  feet  behind  the  other ;  they  are  made  rounding  on  the  top, 
and  are  fixtures.  The  cloth  to  be  examined  is  placed  on  the  floor 
a  little  behind  the  last  bar,  and  the  head  end  is  taken  by  the  man- 
ager and  the  Weaver,  and  is  by  them  thrown  first  over  the  hind 
bar,  and  then  over  the  front  one.  It  has  now  to  be  drawn  slowly 
over  the  perch,  the  persons  inspecting-  it,  standing  between  the 
two  bars  where  they  can  thorough-light  the  cloth  and  see  every 
defect,  if  they  are  previously  acquainted  with  what  are  defects, 
which  it  will  be  my  next  object  to  describe. 

Defective  weaving  consists  first  in  the  cloth  being  woven  une- 
qually, or  some  parts  being  beaten  up  closer  than  others  ;  thethia 
places  will  show  at  the  perch,  and  should  be  marked  by  those  who 
are  inexperienced  inspectors,  and  the  effect  examined  when  fin- 
ished— a  single  white  thread  tied  in  the  list  will  mark  them. 
Secondly,  when  different  filling  is  shot  into  the  same  cloth,  or  when 
dry,  or  partly  dry  bobbins  are  thrown  in,  the  former  will  not  be 
visible  if  the  filling  should  be  of  the  same  size  and  colour,  but 
dry  bobbins  are  readily  seen,  as  the  cloth  will  there  be  more  open, 
and  show  more  day  light  through  it.  Thirdly,  having  two  threads 
in  one  place,  or  what  is  called  double  threads,  which  may  be  either 
in  the  whole  breadth,  or  only  part  of  it.  When  a  double  thread 
crosses  the  cloth,  it  is  occasioned  by  the  weaver  throwing  the 
shuttle  twice,  without  changing  the  position  of  the  harness,  and, 
when  only  part  of  the  way,  it  arises  from  carelesness  in  replacing 
the  shuttle  when  the  abb  breaks,  or  when  a  new  bobbin  is  put  in. 
Fourthly,  when  the  abb  is  thrown  outside  of  some  of  the  threads, 
owing  to  the  chain  not  having  been  opened  in  every  part  before 
the  shuttle  crosses  it.  Fifthly,  when  the  chain  threads  break  and 
the  weaving  goes  on  without  mending.  Sixthly,  when  one  side  of 
the  chain  has  had  a  greater  strain  on  it  than  the  other,  which  will 
make  one  list  tight  and  the  oth^r  loo^e :  this  defect  mostly  occurs, 


80 

as  before  obseired,  from  the  chain  haTin^  been  imeqnally  beam- 
ed: it  may  aJso  be  occasioned  bj  carelesness,  or  from  want  of 
judg-ment  in  the  wearer. 

IndependentJj  of  these  defects  in  weaving",  cloth  and  cassimere 
maj  sometimes  be  pin-roirj,  that  is,  wben  one  thread  is  larger 
than  another.  Tlas  defect  does  not  properij  belong  to  the  weaver, 
it  being  more  tbe  foult  of  the  spinner,  who  has  neglected  to  throw 
out  the  gt>uty  thiieads,  and  of  the  bobbin  winder,  whose  province 
it  is,  when  gwits  are  left  by  the  spinner,  to  break  them  off  instead 
of  winding  them  on  the  cops.  Clolh  that  is  pin-rowy,  is  only  fit 
for  black,  as  do  other  colour  will  hide  it. 

Smgle  and  double  milled  cassimcres  are  woven  in  narrow  looms. 
They  are  worked  with  four  treadles,  four  leaves  of  harness,  and 
eight  shafts ;  four  above  and  four  below ;  the  whole  depends  on  the 
rigging  of  the  shafts,  a  process  with  which  I  am  not  sufficiently 
acquainted,  to  describe.  All  cassimere  looms  have  the  same 
number  of  treadles,  leaves  of  harness,  and  shafts.  The  filling 
for  single  cassimere,  is  twisted  the  same  way,  and  somewhat  finer 
than  the  chain  yam,  and  the  whole  being  made  by  the  filling,  will 
fehow  fine  in  proportion  to  its  fineness  and  twist-  Milled  cassi- 
roeres  are  filled  with  abb,  spun  the  same  as  for  broadcloth,  only 
finer  aud  more  hardly  twisted.  Those  broadcloths  having  a  cassi- 
mere  twill,  called  rattinets,  are  fiUed  with  yam,  such  as  has  been 
described  for  double-milled  cassimeres,  and  the  rigging  of  the  loom 
is  the  same. 

■f  hare  already  mentioned  that,  in  England,  weaving  is  put  out 
to  maffiter-workmen,  who  perform  the  work  at  their  own  houses, 
and  T  have  recommended  the  same  plan  to  be  adopted  in  this  coun- 
try, for  reasons  there  stated.  If  our  manufacturers  should  approve 
of  this  mode,  and  give  into  it,  they  must  be  apprised  of  one  cir- 
cumstance resulting  from  it,  that  they  are  liable  to  lose  their  stock 
by  the  weavers  appropriating  some  of  tlie  yam  to  their  own  use, 
and  ertber  selling,  or  making  cloth  from  it.     This  evil,  however.. 


81 

may  be  easily  avoided  by  adopting-  proper  regulations,  and  keeping 
a  vigilant  look  out  after  them.  A  weaver's  book  must  be  kept, 
in  which  the  weight  of  the  chain,  before  and  after  sizing,  and  the 
bier,  are  entered  in  different  columns.  A  fourth  column  is  appro- 
priated for  the  weight  of  the  abb  taken  out  by  the  weaver  to  fill 
the  piece.  When  the  cloth  is  brought  home,  the  waste  is  returned 
•with  it ;  the  flannels  being  dried,  is  weighed  after  perching,  and 
the  weight  with  the  waste  added  to  it,  is  entered  in  a  fifth  column. 
After  the  flannel  has  been  scoured  and  dried,  and  before  burling, 
it  is  weighed  again,  deducting  from  the  first  weighing  for  the  oil 
used  on  the  wool,  for  the  waste  returned,  and  for  the  sizing,  and 
allowing  one-eighth  per  cent,  for  dust  and  dirt ;  and  if  the  two 
weighings  agree  together,  and  these  with  the  quantity  of  chain 
and  filling  taken  out,  no  fraud  can  have  been  committed  that 
is  worth  mentioning — the  first  weighing,  compared  with  the 
stuff  taken  out,  will  not  be  an  effectual  check,  as  the  weaver 
can  size  the  yarn  after  taking  it  out,  or  he  can  do  it  even  when 
in  cloth ;  or  if  this  be  not  done,  the  soap,  &c.  used  in  wetting 
the  bobbins,  will  add  to  the  weight.  A  weaver  that  is  inclined, 
can  add  three  pounds  to  every  warp  taken  out,  which  he  can  ap- 
propriate to  his  own  use,  unless  the  manufacturer  keeps  the  check 
upon  him  before  described. 

I  have  before  mentioned,  that  weaving  is  not  done  by  the  yard 
m  England.  The  chain  is  warped  and  calculated  by  the  ell  of  one 
yard  and  a  half.  For  each  elL  the  weaver  is  paid  from  one  shilling 
to  eighteen  pence,  according  to  the  quality  of  the  wool,  the  run 
of  the  yarn,  and. the  substance  of  the  cloth.  One  shilling  is  twen- 
Iwo  cents,  and  eighteen  pence  arc  thirty-three  ccLits.  In  this 
country  a  weaver  is  paid  as  much  for  a  yard  as  he  is  there  for  an 
ell,  therefore,  he  has  fifty  per  cent  more  here  than  iliere.  Single 
eassimeres  are  woven  there  for  eight  pence,  half  mills  for  ten 
pence,  and  double  mills  for  one  shilling  per  yard.  Eight  pence 
are  about  fifteen  cents,  ten  pence  about  eighteen  cents  and  a 
half,  and  one  shilling  is  a  fraction  inoie  than  twenty-two  cents. 
I  consider  it  useful  lo  give  this  statement,  because  I  know 
from  experience,   that  American  maiiUiucturers  never  can  get 


82 

at  the  truth  from  English  workmen,  and  I  hare  given  those 
prices  most  fevourable  to  the  weaver.  Many  of  the  English 
master  weavers  make  a  property  by  their  business,  and  surely 
they  ought  to  do  much  better  here,  where  they  receive  fifty 
per  cent  more  for  their  work,  and  the  difference  in  the  price 
is  not  all  the  advantage  they  have,  for  in  England,  the  wea- 
ver finds  his  own  looms,  harness,  and  reeds;  and  here  they  are 
found  for  them,  which  makes  full  12  percent  more  in  their  favour. 

The  American  manufacturers  have  a  further  per  ceotage 
against  them  in  the  weaving.  It  is  considered  excellent  weaving 
here  when  the  finished  cloth  holds  out  three  yards  in  four  for  the 
loom  length,  whereas  in  England,  it  fulls  in  only  two  yards  in  nine; 
on  the  length  warped. 

Weaving  is  seldom  more  than  tolerably  well  done  in  this  coun- 
try, and  the  greater  jaart  of  it  is  wretchedly  performed,  and  if 
would  be  a  g^-eat  advantage  to  the  woollen  maoufacturer,  could  a 
machine  be  invented  to  perform  the  work.  There  was  something 
of  this  kind  in  operation  at  a  Mr.  Shepard's  factory,  Northamp- 
ton. Mass.  and  the  cloth  woven  on  it,  appeared  to  be  very  passa- 
ble, quite  as  good  as  that  which  was  done  by  Land  in  the  same 
factory. 


BRAYIIVG. 

THE  process  called  braying,  is  that  by  which  the  grease  and 
sizing  are  scoured  out  of  the  flannel.  When  a  piece  ccmes  from 
the  loom,  it  is  said  to  be  in  the  say,  and  it  ought  to  be  scoured  out 
as  soon  as  possible.  Should  this  from  any  circumstance  be  delay- 
ed, it  must  be  dried  and  laid  by  till  wanted  :  it  should  never,  bow- 
ever,  be  pennitted  to  lie  long,  eifher  wet  or  dry ;  for  when  wet  it 
taiuts,  and  when  dry,  the  oil  will  oxidize,  when  the  woe!  w'll  turn 
rellow,  and  the  oil  become  so  hard  as  verv  much  to  increase  the 


B3 

difficulty  01  removing  it  from  the  cloth.  The  impurities  to  be 
scoured  out  are  the  oil  used  on  the  wool,  and  Ihe  sizing  used  to 
stiffen  the  chain.  The  materials  employed  to  remove  them,  are 
hog's-dung  and  human  urine.  A  cask  is  about  a  quarter  filled 
with  dung,  and  then  filled  up  with  urine  ;  they  are  then  well  stir- 
red together,  and  left  to  get  stale,  being  fit  for  use  after  standing  a 
few  days,  yet  the  older  they  are,  the  better.  At  the  time  the  cloth 
is  folded  into  the  stocks,  pour  upon  it  as  much  of  this  liquor  as  will 
be  necessary  to  wet  it,  and  cause  it  to  turn;  the  hammers  are  now 
suffered  to  play  for  a  few  minutes,  till  the  cloth  is  wetted  equally 
ill  every  part,  after  which  it  is  taken  out,  and  its  lists  pulled  square. 
The  lists  are  now  thrown  to  the  centre,  and  the  cloth  thrown  into 
a  circular  heap,  and  left  in  that  position  until  the  urine  has  enter- 
ed into  combination  with  the  oil,  which  crisis  may  be  known  by 
wringing  a  handful  of  the  cloth ;  when  the  liquor  wrung  out,  is  of 
a  milky  appearance,  the  desired  union  is  effected,  and  the  cloth  is 
again  put  into  the  stocks,  and  more  of  the  liquor  is  added  until  it 
is  wetted  throughout ;  the  hammers  are  now  permitted  to  play  for 
one  hour,  unless  the  expected  effect  is  produced  in  a  shorter  time, 
after  which,  a  small  stream  of  water  is  introduced  into  the  stocks 
during  twenty  minutes ;  then  the  plug  is  taken  out,  and  water  is 
introduced  freely  until  it  runs  off  perfectly  clean. 

In  general,  this  urinous  liquor  and  water  are  sufficient  to  cleanse 
a  cloth  from  its  grease  ;  but  when  the  wool  has  not  been  properly 
scoured  from  its  yolk,  or  filth,  or  when  the  cloth  has  been  manu- 
factured a  great  while,  it  is  necessary  to  add  to  the  urine  a  solu- 
tion of  fuller's  earth,  and  to  do  it  sometimes  two  or  three,  and  even 
four  times  over :  notwithstanding  which,  it  is  almost  ever  neces- 
sary to  work  such  clo(  u  twice  more  with  earth,  prior  to  fulling ;  but 
this  is  done  only  after  it  has  been  burled  ;  at  all  events,  the  opera- 
tion is  always  finished  by  letting  the  water  run  freely  into  the 
stocks.  In  order  to  knew  whether  a  cloth  in  the  flannel  is  in  a 
fit  state  for  washing,  aflec  it  has  been  worked  in  the  stocks  for  half 
an  hour,  dip  a  corner  or  the  cloth  into  a  oucket  of  water,  rub  it 
between  the  hauds,  repeat  it  several  times,  and  then  expose  it  to 


84 

the  hg^ht,  looking"  through  it,  and  if  no  yellow,  grey,  or  black  streak 
OT  Stain  appear,  vou  may  wash  it  as  before  directed ;  but  should 
there  be  any  such  appearances,  the  hammers  must  continue  to  play 
>mtil  it  is  fit. 

It  is  important  that  cloth  should  be  thoroughly  free  from  grease 
before  it  be  fulled ;  for  soap,|which  softens  grease,  but  does  not  dis- 
solve it,  forms  with  it  a  clammy,  semi-soponaceous  compound  which 
adheres  very  strongly  to  the  cloth,  and  is  scarcely  ever  to  be  re- 
moved by  any  subsequent  operation.  In  some  places  on  the  Euro- 
pean continent,  where  good  earth  is  not  to  be  procured,  they  scour 
the  cloth  witli  a  soft  black  soap,  although  it  be  a  miserable  substi- 
tute for  earth. 

It  is  important  that  cloth  should  not  full  in  whilst  it  is  undergoing 
the  process  of  scouring ;  to  prevent  this,  it  is  necessary  to  attend  to 
it  whilst  the  hammers  are  playing,  and  when  it  begins  to  get  warm 
in  the  stocks,  it  must  be  handed  out  and  pulled  by  the  lists ;  the 
hammers  must  play  on  it  slowly,  and  a  little  water  must  be  let  into 
the  stocks.  When  cloth  is  suffered  to  become  treated  in  the  stocks> 
while  scouring,  and  it  fulls  in,  the  burlers  cannot  take  off  the  knots, 
nor  draw  out  the  double  threads,  without  making  such  holes  as  will 
not  close  in  the  fulling,  and  the  cloth  will  necessarily  be  imper- 
fect. 

In  some  places  they  suffer  the  cloth  to  soak  during  three,  four, 
•r  more  days  in  a  nver,  after  it  comes  from  the  loom,  in  order  to 
dissolve  the  glue  with  which  the  chains  have  been  sized. 

Attention  must  be  paid  to  the  cloth  when  heating  in  (he  heap, 
for  should  it  be  permitted  to  become  too  hot,  with  the  size  in  it,  the 
eloth  will  soon  be  injured.  A  few  hours  in  warm  weather  will 
effect  the  desired  union  of  the  grease  and  urine,  and  if  it  be  per- 
mitted to  lay  long  in  the  heap  after  this  has  taken  place,  the  tex- 
ture will  be  destroyed. 


85 

The  mode  of  wetting  the  cloth  with  the  urinous  hquor  varies 
according-  to  the  whim  and  fancy  of  the  workmen;  some  wil 
throw  the  liquor  on  the  face  of  the  cloth,  fold  it  up,  and  tread  it 
witli  their  feet ;  others  again  perform  the  operation  altogether  in 
the  fulling  mill,  permitting  the  stocks  to  play  on  the  cloth  until  the 
grease  combines  with  the  ammonia  of  the  urine.  It  is  of  little 
consequence  how  the  process  may  be  varied,  provided  the  cloth  be 
equally  well  cleansed  from  its  grease. 

Braying  is  a  chemical  operation  which  I  shall  endeavour  to  ex- 
plain for  the  satisfaction  of  any  scientific  manufacturer  who  may 
peruse  this  work.  The  urinous  liquor  undergoes  a  fermentation, 
which  is  accelerated  by  the  glue  used  in  sizing ;  the  ammonia  of 
the  urine,  assisted  by  heat,  combines  with  the  oil,  by  which  an  am- 
moniacal  soap  is  formed  that  will  readily  wash  out  in  water. 

The  urinous  ammonia  and  oil  are  both  liquids  of  less  specific 
gravity  than  water,  and,  when  combined,  the  product  is  a  sopona- 
ceous  semi-liquid  of  greater  specific  gravity.     It  is  well  known  to 
my  chemical  readers,  that  when  a  change  takes  place  from  a  liquid 
to  a  solid,  a  large  portion  of  caloric,  or  the  matter  of  heat,  is  given 
out,  and  that  the  quantity  liberated  is  in  proportion  to  the  increased 
density  of  the  product ;  it  follows,  of  course,  that  during  the  com- 
binaiion  of  the  oil  and  ammonia,  caloric  is  liberated :  this  added 
to  that  which  is  developed  by  the  fermentation  accounts  for  the 
great  heat  engendered  during  this  process,  which  in  a  few  hours 
will  become  so  excessive,  in  warm  weather,  and  in  cold  when  per- 
mitted to  lay  longer,  as  to  be  too  hot  to  handle ;  and  if  not  checked, 
will  soon  decompose  the  wool,  and  destroy  the  texture  of  tlie  cloth.' 
We  cannot  be  suj-prised  at  this  destructive  effect  when  we  know 
that  wool  is  altogether  composed  of  animal  fat,  assuming  its  present 
form  by  some  inexplicable  organization;  for  it  is  nothing  mor^ 
than  a  progressive  action,  continuing  to  operate  on  the  wool,  after 
^U  the  oil  with  which  vt  was  sheathed,  has  been  decomposed. 

The  Messrs.  Haights  scour  the  grease  out  of  their  carpeting  with 

8 


86 

steam.  Having  seen  steam  tried  for  fulling,  and  given  up  as  pro- 
ducing an  injurious  effect  on  the  fabric,  I  was  particular  in  making 
inquiry  of  their  mode  of  braying :  the  result  was,  that  the  grease  is 
raised  in  their  carpeting  by  steam  being  let  into  the  machine  in 
which  they  cleanse  the  carpeting,  and  I  understood  without  urine 
«r  any  other  material  to  assist  it. 

I  shtU  not  venture  to  recommend  manufacturers  to  adopt  this 
mode  of  braying,  altliough,  were!  engaged  in  the  business,'!  should 
try  it  myself;  for  as  the  success  of  the  operation  depends  upon 
using  steam  at  the  temperature  of  about  100*^  Fahrenheit,  it  is  pro- 
bable that  workmen  would  not  do  justice  to  the  experiment,  and  it 
is  very  likely  that  when  worked  even  at  this  low  temperature 
the  cloth  would  full  in  so  much  as  to  prevent  the  burling.  I  am  of 
opinion,  however,  that  steam  heat  with  fullers  earth  would  very 
successfully  cleanse  grease  out  of  cloth ;  for  it  is  well  known  that 
moistened  earth,  at  such  a  temperature  as  they  use,  will  readily 
combine  with  oil,  and  also  that  it  has  rather  a  tendency  to  keep 
the  fabric  open  than  to  felt  it.  Sheuld  this  opinion,  on  trial,  prove 
to  be  correct,  it  will  be  no  small  advantage  to  the  manufacturer ; 
for,  as  this  earth  has  been  lately  found  in  inexhaustible  beds  on  the 
North  river,  and  can  be  purchased  in  New  York  at  one  dollar  per 
Imndred  pounds,  it  will  be  as  cheap  as  urine— will  be  much  more 
certain  in  its  operation,  and  cannot  endanger  the  safety  of  the 
goods. 


DRYING  CF  CLOTH  BEFORE  AND  AFTER  BRAYING. 

• 

BEFORE  describing  the  process  of  burling,  I  must  give  some 
direction  on  the  effect  produced  by  exposing  the  flannel  partially 
to  the  sun  whilst  drying.  When  cloths  have  been  dyed  drab  and 
several  other  light  colours  in  the  wool,  or  having  been  woven  white, 
are  intended  to  be  dyed  such  colours  in  the  cloth,  it  is  necessary 
to  lje  very  particular  in  drying  them ;  for,  if  some  parts  of  a  cloth 


87 

be  exposed  to  the  sun,  and  other  parts  lie  in  the  shade,  that  part 
which  has  been  exposed  will  be  of  a  different  colour  from  that  which 
has  been  shaded ;  it  will  be  yellower,  and  is  said  to  be  sun-bleached, 
and  must  be  re-dyed  some  other  colour  before  the  defect  can  be 
covered.  This  extraordinary  fact  is  well  known  by  every  respect- 
able manufacturer  in  the  west  of  England,  but  I  believe  has  never 
before  been  noticed  by  any  writer  on  the  subject.  It  is  usual, 
when  such  goods  are  made,  to  have  them  hung  on  tenters  to  dry, 
or  rather  on  hanging  racks,  having  but  one  range  of  bars  placed  on 
the  top  of  eight  feet  posts,  in  which  hooks  are  driven,  one  for  every 
three  feet,  and  every  other  one  being  on  the  back  of  the  bars  to 
prevent  the  wind  blowing  the  goods  off.  The  right  side  is  placed 
in  the  shade,  the  wrong  side  only  being  exposed  to  the  sun.  la 
certain  other  light  colours  this  defect  is  never  perceived,  which  is 
the  case  with  scarlet  and  all  those  where  a  large  portion  of  acids 
are  used. 

I  shall  attempt  to  explain  theoretically  the  change  which  is  here 
produced  on  the  wool.  It  is  more  than  probable  my  theory  will  be 
defective,  yet  if  it  should  give  a  clue  to  some  able  chemist  to  ex- 
plain it  more  scientifically,  it  cannot  fail  of  being  serviceable  to 
the  trade. 

We  know  that  when  fat  of  any  kind  is  long  exposed  to  the  action 
of  the  atmosphere,  it  will  become  oxidized  that  the  lightest  co- 
loured  oils,  and  the  whitest  fat,  will  by  such  exposure,  gradually 
lose  their  colour,  and  become  yellow,  and  that  when  exposed  to 
the  sun  such  changes  are  produced  more  rapidly — we  also  kno^* 
that  wool  is  composed  of  an  animal  fat  liable  to  be  acted  on  by  al- 
kalies, in  the  same  degree  as  are  other  oleaginous  substances ;  ir 
necessarily  follows,  that  those  parts  of  cloth  which  have  been  ex- 
posed to  the  sun,  will  have  oxidized  more  highly  than  other  parts 
which  have  boen  dried  in  the  shade;  and  there  is  also  a  striking- 
similarity  in  the  effect  produced ;  for  the  cloth  as  well  as  the  fat  ha« 
been  yellowed. 


88 

I  have  before  mentioned  that  some  few  manufacturers  never 
permit  their  woollen  cloth  to  be  died  in  the  sun,  from  an  apprehen- 
sion that  it  is  thereby  hardened,  and  the  fact  I  haee  now  described, 
affords  a  strong  proof  in  favour  of  their  opinion. 


BURLING. 

AFTER  a  say  has  been  brayed  and  dried,  it  has  to  be  taken  to 
the  burlers,  whose  province  it  is  to  take  off  all  the  knots  from  the 
face  of  the  cloth,  and  to  take  out  all  the  double  threads,  if  any  there 
are ;  in  doing  this  they  must  be  careful  not  to  make  holes  in  the 
cloth ;  when  the  cloth  burled  has  been  wool  dyed  the  lints  also 
must  be  picked  out. 

Burling  is  performed  on  a  board  about  three  feet  wide  and  ten 
feet  long,  placed  on  a  stand  having  four  legs,  and  inclined  about 
forty-five  degrees.  This  work  is  altogether  done  by  women,  and 
the  instruments  they  work  with  are  called  burling  irons.  When 
a  piece  is  begun,  as  much  of  the  cloth  is  placed  over  the  board, 
from  the  back  of  the  stand,  as  will  cover  it  nearly  to  the  bottom, 
the  head  end  or  forrel  extending  a  little  below  it.  On  the  upper 
edge  of  the  board  some  fine  worn  out  scribbling  card,  or  dog  fish 
skin,  is  nailed  on,  to  prevent  the  cloth  from  slipping  over  whilst 
the  women  are  at  work ;  below  the  centre  of  the  board,  at  each 
end,  a  hook  is  fastened  to  twine  ;  the  end  of  the  twine  is  secured 
to  the  ends  of  the  board.  These  are  intended  to  stretch  the  cloth 
and  to  keep  it  in  place  breadthways.  The  cloth  faces  a  good  win- 
dow-light, and  a  window-seat  of  the  length  of  the  board  should  be 
jixed  for  the  women  to  sit  on  whilst  at  work.  When  all  the  knots 
are  taken  off,  and  all  the  double  threads  drawn  out  from  the  breadth 
first  placed  upon  the  board,  another  succeeds  it,  and  so  on  till  the 
piece  is  finished. 

"When  a  breadth  is  finished  and  before  replacing  it  with  another^ 


i 


S9 

it  is  marked  on  the  top  across  the  cloth,  with  chalk,  if  wool  dyed, 
and  with  reddle  or  charcoal  if  white  :  the  marking  has  for  its  ob- 
ject to  show  how  far  the  work  has  been  done,  so  that  in  drawing 
another  length  over,  no  part  may  be  left  unburled,  nor  any  worked 
over  twice.  When  all  of  one  side  has  been  done,  the  cloth  is  re- 
turned to  the  back  of  the  stand,  turned  over,  and  the  other  side 
undergoes  the  same  operation. 

It  is  usual  in  many  English  factories  to  have  the  rough  wool  ta- 
ken off  the  face  and  %vrong  side  of  the  say,  as  well  as  the  knots 
and  double  threads,  which,  I  believe  is  not  done  any  where  in  this 
country.  Those  who  have  this  performed,  consider  that  the  cloth 
has  a  better  face  when  finished  than  when  the  rough  wool  is  left  on, 
and  this  may  be  the  case  when  raised  by  hand  :  but  I  do  not  be- 
lieve it  is  any  improvement  when  the  nap  is  raised  by  the  gig  mill. 
The  rough  wool,  however,  should  be  taken  off  the  wrong  side,  for. 
unless  this  be  done,  that  side  will  have  a  very  uncouth  appearance 
when  the  cloth  is  ready  for  market. 

After  wool  dyed  cloth  has  been  burled  at  the  board,  it  has  to  be 
put  over  a  perch  and  all  the  lints  taken  out  with  linting  irons,  of  a 
make  similar  to  those  used  for  burling,  only  smaller,  more  elastic 
and  finer  at  the  points.     There  will  be  in  all  cloth  more  or  less  of 
white  lints,  which  being  primarily  attached  to  the  wool,  is  spun 
with  it,  and  shows  in  the   cloth  when  finished — all  of  these  that 
possibly  can  should  be  taken  out  of  the  wrong  side  of  the  cloth ; 
both  sides  must  be  looked  over,  the  wrong  first  and  then  the  right, 
and  no  lint  must  be  permitted  to  remain  in  the  cloth.     After  both 
these  operations,  it  has  again  to  be  drawn  over  the  perch,  for  the 
purpose  of  stopping,  or  closing  all  the  openings  made  by  the  bur- 
ling and  linting ;  and  if  any  large  gaps   have  been  made  by  the 
breaking  of  the  threads,  they  must  be  fine  drawn  with  yarn  such 
as  the  cloth  is  made  of.     For  such   openings  will  not  close  in  ful- 
ling ;  but  will  leave  holes  and  thereby  render  the  fabric  imperfect. 
These  operations  of  burling,  linting,  taking  the  rough  wool  off  the 
wrong  side,  and  stopping,  are  too  much  neglected  in  this  countiy. 
8* 


90 


FULLESG. 

AS  CTcrj'  manufacturer  is  acquainted  iritb  nrLat  arc  called  ful- 
ling stocks,  it  will  be  unnece^aiy  to  describe  them ;  yet,  as  I  Lave 
obseired  many  defectire  machines  of  this  kind  here,  and  still 
greater  defects  in  the  use  made  of  them.  I  shall  attempt  to  gire 
such  directions  as  will  enable  manufacturers  to  remedy  those  de- 
fects. 

The  stocks  in  use  at  Mr.  Israel  Crane's  factoxy  at  West-Bloom- 
field,  New-Jersey,  are  a  good  pattern  for  any  person  who  may  wish 
to  hare  newon^  erected,  or  old  ones  altered.  They  were  made 
bj  MesTs.  Cocker£adr  and  Ccrflins,  of  that  village,  and  I  believe 
the  expense  of  workmanship,  timber  and  iron  work,  is  about  one 
handled  doflars  for  each  pair,  l)eing  less  than  the  value  of  the 
.  imber  in  i^igland. 

At  many  factoring  in  diis  cdontiy,  they  full  in  a  machine  called 
a  poacher,  whidi  may  do  very  well  for  their  country  cloth,  as  sat- 
tinets,  bat  as  generally  ctmstructed,  are  not  calculated  for  broad 
fAts.  I  would  reconmiakd  the  fallii^-stock  for  braying,  foUing, 
and  sccmring;  and  the  poacher  for  washing  oat  after  these  opera- 
ti<»is  ha^e  been  perfiHrmed.  The  only  poacher  I  have  seen  in  this 
coantry  that  appears  to  be  calculated  to  make  good  work,  is  at  the 
Rahway  &ctory :  a  laige  heavy  doable  machine,  having  a  quick 
motion. 

FaUing-stocks  are  always  worked  by  a  tappet  wheel  that  is  fix- 
ed on  the  main  diaft  of  the  water-wheel :  for  this  machine  can 
never  be  geared  with  safety.  Each  of  the  hammers  should  be 
3Jculated  to  fall  thirty  times  in  a  minnte,  or  sixty  limes  the  two 
hammers ;  for,  if  made  to  move  much  more  rapidly,  the  tappets 
wiD  catch  tiie  hammers  befove  they  fall  on  the  cloth,  and,  if  much 
more  slowly,  the  want  of  soficient  friction  wDl  retard  the  pn>greas 
•^  wort. 


91 

It  is  usual,  in  England,  to  have  three  or  tour  sets  of  false  backs, 
of  different  thicknesses,  made  to  fit  the  stocks,  to  which  they  are 
secured  by  a  long*  iron  bolt  passing  tlirough  the  sides  of  the  stocks 
and  through  the  upper  end  of  the  false  back,  the  bolt  being  put  in 
and  drawn  out  by  means  of  an  iron  ring,  large  enough  for  the  baud 
to  grasp  it  inside,  and  which  hangs  pendant  from  a  hole  at  one  end 
of  the  bolt.  When  a  full  quantity  of  cloth  has  to  be  fulled,  none 
of  these  backs  are  put  in  ;  but  when  the  quantity  is  smaller  than 
sufficient  to  fill  it,  such  of  the  backs  are  used  as  will  reduce  th«> 
capacity  of  the  stocks  to  thi  bulk  of  the  cloth,  wliich  is  necessary 
to  enable  it  to  work  without  damage  ;  for,  when  too  small  a  quan- 
tity is  put  in,  the  cloth  will  not  move  round  well,  and  will  be  liable 
to  fall  on  the  fenders,  and,  should  any  of  the  cloth  happen  to  drop 
between  them,  which  frequently  occurs,  it  will  be  liable  to  be  cut ; 
and  should  it  escape  such  accidents,  the  machine  will,  at  all  events, 
be  injured  by  such  working.  When  too  much  cloth  is  put  into 
the  stocks,  it  will  not  turn,  but  beat  up  into  a  hard,  twisted,  im- 
moveable lump,  and  can  scarcely  escape  without  being  damaged. 
The  cloth  should  so  fit  the  stocks  as  to  move  round  freely,  whilst 
working,  and  for  the  hammers  to  play  on  it  so  as  not  to  strike  the 
fenders. 

Cloth  may  be  fulled  either  with  soap  or  urine,  the  former  is 
generally  used,  and  I  have  never  but  once  seen  it  done  with  the 
latter.  I  shall  describe  both  modes,  that  those  manufacturers  who 
are  desirous  of  trying  them  may  have  an  opportunity  of  doing  so. 
Common  white  soap  may  be  used  for  fulling,  but,  for  fine  cloth,  I 
would  recommend  the  Castile,  which  is  now  universall}'  used  in 
the  west  of  England.  This  soap  is  made  from  Gallipoli  oil,  and, 
as  is  there  well  known,  imparts  a  softness  to  the  cloth  which  the 
other  never  gives.  It  is  the  white  oil  soap  that  is  sold  in  New- 
York  at  fifteen  cents  a  pound  by  the  box,  it  is  bard  and  dry,  and 
may  be  considered  as  cheap  as  the  common  white  soap  at  eleven 
cents.  A  fine  say  intended  for  a  stout  seven  quarter  felt,  warped 
thirty-six  ell,  or  fifty-four  yards,  and  weighing  warp  and  filling, 
seventy  one   pounds,  if  white,  is   allowed,  five  pounds  of  soap^ 


92 

and, if  blue,  six  pounds;  and  when  of  colours,  in  which  much  c. 
the  alum  mordant  has  been  used,  or  acid,  tin  liquor  has  beeo  em* 
ployed,  then  seven  and  even  eig-ht  pounds  are  sometiraes  necessary. 

All  other  cloth  must  have  soap,  according  to  their  weig-ht,  quality 
and  intended  substance. 

A  larg-e  plane  is  provided  for  the  use  of  the  mill-man,  which  he 
place?  across  a  washing  tub,  the  edge  side  uppermost,  and  the 
soap  is  shaved  by  passing  the  bars  over  the  face  of  the  plane  till 
all  of  it  is  cut  up,  which  of  course  falls  into  the   tob.     On  this, 
there  must  be  as  much  boiling  water  thrown,  as  wiU  leave  the  soap, 
when  dissolved,  of  a  gelatinous  consistency.     In  this  state  it   is 
used,  after  being  permitted  to  cool :  for  on  no  account  must  it  ever 
be  used  in  a  warm  state.     It  is  also  frequently  boiled,  and  then 
permitted  to  cool.     The  cloth  intended  to  be  fulled,  must  be  open- 
ed with   the  right  side  up{>ermost.  and  on  that  side  one  half,  or 
rather  more  of  the  liquid  soap,  is  thrown  on,  as  regularly  as  can 
be,  all  over  the  face.     As  this  is  doing,  the  lists  are  thrown  to  the 
centre,  and,  when  completed,  the   cloth  is  put  into  the  stocks, 
which  are  plugged  up,  and  the  hammers  permitted  to  plaj*.     The 
cloth'  must  be  kept  suflBciently  moist  during  the  operatiwi  with 
soap;  for  if  kept  too  dry,  or  is  worked  with   too  little  soap,  the 
fabric  will  be  gradually  wasted,  which  will  soon  be  observable  by 
the  quantity  of  dry  flock  that  will  accumulate  about  the  hammers, 
cams,  and  other  parts  of  the  machine.     Soap  has  also  to  be  added 
from  time  to  time  as  the  fulling  progresses.     The  cloth  will  have 
to  be  taken  out  several  times  during  the  process,  as  when  too 
much  heat  is  produced  by  the  playing  of  the  hammers,  or  when  it 
has  taken  a  wrong  position  in  the  stocks ;  beside  these  incidental 
handings  out,  it  has  to  be  taken  out  and  put  in  again  at  regular 
periods.     When  the  operation  has  continued  two  hours,  the  clc^ 
must  be  taken  out  the  lists  pulled  square,  and  the  breadth  mea- 
sured in  several  places,  to  ascertain  if  it,  fulls  in  regularly :  should 
any  part  be  found  to  prove  slower  than  the  general  run,  an  ad- 
ditional   quantity   of   soap    must  be   put  on  that  part,  the  lists 
thrown  together  as  before,  the  cloth  iianded  into  the  stocks,  and 


93 

the  hammers  permitted  to  play  during"  three  or  four  hours.  At 
all  the  reg-ular  handing-s  out,  the  lists  are  pulled  square  by  two  per- 
sons who  stretch  the  cloth  breadthwise  with  their  whole  weight, 
going  all  along  the  lists.  When  this  has  been  faithfully  perform- 
ed, and  the  cloth  measured  in  the  width,  to  ascertain  if  it  proves 
fast  enough  and  equal  throughout  the  piece,  in  those  places  that 
are  too  wide,  if  any  there  be,  after  the  first  handing  out,  not  onlj" 
soap  must  be  added ;  but  if  the  the  difference  should  be  consider- 
able, that  part  must  be  twisted  like  a  rope,  and  placed  in  the  stocks 
in  that  position.  These  operations  of  taking  out,  stretching,  mea- 
suring, &c.  are  to  be  repeated  every  three  or  four  hours,  after  the 
first  regular  taking  out,  until  the  cloth  is  finished.  During  the 
operation  of  fulling,  the  cloth  must  have  a  supply  of  soap  sufficient 
to  keep  it,  at  all  times,  in  good  proving  order,  and  this  can  be 
known  only  by  experience.  I  have  mentioned  the  quantity  of 
soap  necessary  for  the  whole  operation,  and  the  workman  must 
add  it  from  time  to  time,  as  it  is  wanted,  which,  being  circumstan- 
tial, cannot  be  described.  A  given  portion  is  put  on,  when  the 
operation  commences,  and  some  added  as  soon  as  the  cloth  begins 
to  work  in  the  stocks,  until  it  appears  to  have  as  much  as  is  neces- 
sary. If  the  cloth  at  the  first  handing  out,  should  have  fulled  in 
too  fast,  none  need  be  added  at  that  time ;  if  it  should  not  have 
proved  fast  enough,  more  must  be  added,  and  the  same  will  hold 
good  at  every  handing  out.  At  all  events,  the  cloth  must  never 
be  permitted  to  become  too  dry  in  the  stocks,  neither  must  it  be 
too  wet,  there  being  a  medium  to  be  observed,  which  experience 
alone  can  direct. 

About  fourteen  or  sixteen  hours  is  required  to  full  in  a  piece  of 
stout  white  felt,  and  from  sixteen  to  eighteen  hours  for  a  blue, 
provided  the  fallers  are  properly  made,  and  have  a  good  speed. 
The  poundmg  of  the  hammers  produce  by  their  friction  a  great 
deal  of  heat,  which  if  permitted  to  raise  too  high,  the  fabric  will 
prove,  or  full  in  too  fast,  and  the  texture  of  the  cloth  will  be  in- 
jured by  being  left  hollow  and  spongy  ;  therefore,  in  all  such  cases 
it  must  be  banded  out  of  the  stock,  opened,  strrtcbed  and  put  in 


j^aia.  Wbenclodiisfalled  with  too  little  Kiaps  it  will  waste  dur- 
img  tbe  opentMMi :  it  mastcaBseqoeotlj  be  at  all  times  weQ  snp- 
idied,  and  newer  permitted  Id  foU  in  too  nfiidly.  The  proof  of 
good  fallios  is  to  have  tbe  fikbric  when  fisisbed  stoat  and  firm  iu 
(te  gnmnd,  like  leatber,  and  of  an  equal  iHeadth  in  all  parts.  A 
piece  intended  for  seTenqpBiters,shoald  be  fulled  into  six  quaiters 
and  a  hall^  widiin  the  list,  never  exceeding  tins  more  than  a  nail, 
to  allow  lor  any  triflings  ineqoalitj  in  the  fidlii^,  that  it  may  be 
eqoal  when  tentered.  If  the  warp  has  been  spon  with  suficiorA 
twist,  and  die  filling- Toy  loosely  tmisied,  the  doth  at  the  same  tioie 
being^  well  beaten  op  in  the  loam,  apiece  that  has  been  warped 
fifty-lbnr  yards  sbonM  hold  out,  when  iinishrd,  ibrtf-two;  bat  thb 
will  depend  altogelher  npon  the  pcrfpction  of  the  worirmanBhip. 


FCIXING  WITH  URLMl. 

THOSE  who  faD.  wiih  Qnne  coosider  ihzi  it  inqmires  the  foalirv 
of  the  cloth,  and  imparts  to  the  wtwl  a  pecoliar  sexiness  which 
soap  never  gives :  Irery  nmch  doubt  tins  thetHj.  The  workman- 
diip,  in  falling  with  onne,  is  the  same  as  witii  soap  ;  the  former 
beinp  nsed  in  place  of  the  latter.  Cloth  tibat  wfll  fidl  in  with  soap 
in  eighteen  boms  wiD  require  tweoty-foor  with  mine,  althoogh  tbe 
degree  (rf*  beat  be  die  same.  / 


WASHING  AFTER  FULLING. 

WHEN  dotib  has  be€»  foiled  in,  it  has  to  be  wa:Uted  cJean  tro& 
flie  soap,  and  this  apparently  simple  opnation  is  seldom  effectnally 
done  in  this  coontiy.  When  it  has  been  foiled  white,  and  intended 
lo  be  cohmred,  the  ^e  wiD  be  injored  shonld^  any  soap  mnaia  in 
it;  and  if  it  has  been  dyed  a  dark  colomr  in  the  wocd,  and  any 
■oap  remain  in  it,  the  cokmr  inH  not  show  to  the  same  adrantage 


95 

as  when  it  is  thoroughly  clean  ;  it  will  look  mealy  and  light  co- 
loured; for  the  soap  which  is  retained  in  the  ground,  will  reflect 
\  ellowish  white  rays,  which  mingling  with  those  of  blue,  or  any- 
other  dark  dye,  injures  the  beauty  and  intensity  of  the  colour,  and 
when  bad,  gives  it  a  mealy  appearance.  Soap  cannot  easily  be 
cleaned  out  of  cloth  with  soft  water  only ;  therefore,  hard  water, 
where  itcan  be  obtained,  should  be  employed  for  this  purpose  also, 
for  washing  out  after  braying,  and  for  cleaning  in  earth  prepara- 
tory to  dying.  When  hard  water  cannot  be  obtained,  let  the  cloth. 
be  scoured  out  with  fullers  earth. 

I  recommended  the  use  of  a  poacher  at  the  commencement  of 
the  article  on  fulling,  and  in  this  part  of  the  process,  it  should  be 
employed.  After  cloth  has  been  sigcd  in  the  fullers  for  braying, 
and  the  grease  has  been  properly  raised ;  also  after  it  has  been 
fulled  in  with  soap,  or  worked  with  fuller's  earth,  it  should  be 
washed  out  in  a  poacher ;  for  it  is  in  the  washing,  when  the  cloth 
is  partly  clean,  and  much  swollen  with  water,  that  it  is  liable  to 
damage  under  the  fallers,  as  it  then  becomes  too  rough  and  bulky 
to  work  round  freely.  It  is  then  much  safer  to  take  it  out  of 
the  fallers,  and  put  it  into  a  poacher,  where  it  cannot  damage,  if 
the  machinery  be  in  good  condition. 

Those  managers  of  factories,  who  have  had  but  little  experi- 
ence will  be  ready  to  say  that  I  am  much  too  partictilar ;  but  I 
can  assure  them  that  nothing  has  been  stated,  nor  any  precaution- 
ary measures  recommended,  which  are  not  absolutely  necessary 
to  the  perfection  of  the  business.  Those  who  clean  their  cloth  a* 
I  have  recommended,  will  find  the  appearance  of  their  goods  much 
improved,  their  credit  much  enhanged,  and  the  profits  of  their  busi- 
ness greatly  increased. 


96 


FULLING  WITH  STEAM  HEAT,  INSTEAD  OF  SOAP. 

A  PATENT  has  been  obtained  in  this  conntrrfcr  fulling  with 
eteam-  A  conical  wooden  boileri5made,a  smaller  one  of  copperbeiag 
inserted  inside  of  the  wooden  one,  and  the  whole  is  made  water 
tight.  The  vessel  is  nearly  filled  with  water  between  the  wood 
and  copper,  and  a  fire  is  made  inside  the  copper  one,  at  the  larg- 
est end  ;  a  short  iron  pipe  being  placed  at  the  other  end  to  carry 
off  the  smoke.  A  smaU  tube  conveys  the  steam  from  the  wooden 
boiler,  through  the  back  of  the  stocks,  to  the  cloth  inside  of  it,  and 
a  cover  on  hinges  is  placed  over  the  cloth  to  keep  the  steam  down, 
so  as  to  enter  its  folds  while  it  is  turning  round.  This  steam  ap- 
paratus was  tried  when  I  was  at  West-Bloomfield  factory,  several 
stock  fuUs  having  been  felted  with  it ;  the  cloth  proved  in  a  very 
short  time,  much  sooner  than  when  worked  with  soap.  It  appear- 
ed to  give  to  the  fabric  a  very  firm  texture ;  in  fact  the  ground 
was  too  bard,  and  the  staple  of  the  wool  was  so  much  injured  as 
to  come  off  in  large  rolls  when  worked  with  jacks,  or  teazles.  In 
consequence  of  these  defects  the  system  was  given  up  by  the  man- 
agers. 

"When  any  new  operation  is  discovered  that  may  prove  bene- 
ficial to  manufacturers,  it  seldom  works  well,  until  the  conditions 
upon  which  its  success  depends  have  been  ascertained  by  long 
practice :  and  this  is  more  particularly  true,  when  a  new  opera- 
tion is  superintended  by  ignorant  woikmen,  who  are  almost  al- 
ways so  strongly  prejudiced  in  favour  of  old  systems,  as  to  wish  to 
put  down  new  discoveries  :  and  they  are  in  some  measure  excusa- 
ble, being  under  the  impression,  that  their  services,  which  before 
had  been  highly  estimated,  will  no  longer  be  of  any  value.  The 
opinion  of  the  managers  is  also  often  detrimental  to  the  introduction 
of  new  machinery,  and  new  modes  of  working.  I  remember  when 
a  lad,  the  first  introducUon  of  carding  and  spiuning  machines,  in 
the  west  of  England,  for  it  created  a  very  great  sensation,  both 
among  master  manufacturers  and  their  workmen.     The  imp  res- 


97 

sion  made  upon  my  youthful  mind,  arose  from  the  absurd  conclu* 
sion  adopted  by  the  factory  owners  in  the  first  place,  and  their 
subsequent  recantation.  One  manufacturer  had  put  the  machines 
at  work,  and  had  kept  them  very  close,  non-admittance  being 
strictly  enforced.  A  public  meeting  was  called  by  the  most  in- 
fluential clothiers  to  take  into  consideration,  whether  or  not  cloth 
could  be  made  from  carding-  done  by  machines,  and  spinning"  done 
on  the  jenny,  when  they  came  to  a  conclusion  unanimously,  that 
it  could  never  be  made  from  work  done  by  the  said  machines. 
The  manufacturer  who  had  thenj,  kept  on  working  them ;  and 
his  cloth  not  only  sold  well  in  market,  but  it  was  discovered  that 
he  was  making  much  larger  profits  than  his  neighbours.  These 
circumstances  being  generally  known,  caused  another  meeting 
to  be  called,  when  they  came  to  the  resolution  that  cloth  could  be 
made  by  machiner}^,  and  from  that  time  they  were  rapidlj'  intro- 
duced. These  observations  in  the  opinion  of  a  public  body  of  men 
who  were  supposed  fully  competent  to  decide  on  a  question  rela- 
tive to  their  own  immediate  calling,  in  which  they  were  much  in- 
terested, made  at  the  time  a  strong  impression  on  my  mind,  and 
produced  a  considerable  degree  of  scepticism  in  human  judgment, 
wl^ich  subsequent  experience  has  rather  confirmed  than  removed. 

It  is  by  no  means  advisable,  nor  would  I  recommend  manufac- 
turers to  be  hasty  in  trying  every  supposed  improvement  which 
may  be  ofiered  to  their  notice,  yet  when  a  new  discovery  is  pro- 
posed by  a  respectable  person,  that  carries  on  the  face  of  it  a  pro- 
bably successful  issue,  attended  with  great  profit  to  the  business,, 
it  is  their  imperious  duty,  if  they  attempt  it  at  all,  to  give  it  a  pa- 
tient and  fair  trial. 

The  experiment  made  at  Bloomfield,  to  full  by  steam,  was  su- 
perintended, not  by  an  experienced  workman,  but  by  a  person 
who  understood  nothing  of  fulling ;  there  were  consequently  no  pre- 
judices to  encounter;  but  there  was  that  which  was  more  than 
ta.ifa»;iount  to  it,  ignorance  in  the  operators.  1  looked  on  at  every 
coQvenient  opportunity,  and  although  it  was  given  up,  yet  1  ai  ^ 
9 


98 

conrinced  it  might  be  made  to  answer,  and  that  very  effectuallv. 
Having  expressed  this  opinion,  I  shall  g-ive  my  reasons  for  it,  and 
endeavour  to  show,  that  in  the  trials  made  in  tliat  factory,  the  con- 
ditions on  which  fulling  usually  succeeds,  were  not  obsenred.  It 
is  known  by  every  experienced  raillman,  that  when  cloth  becomes 
too  hot  in  the  stocks,  it  will  full  in  so  fast  as  to  injure  the  fabric. 
I  hare  never  ascertained  the  requisite  beat  by  the  thermometer ; 
but,  from  having  frequently  handled  cloth  that  has  been  experi- 
mentally pronounced  to  be  in  good  proving  condition,  I  should 
judge  the  requisite  heat  to  be  between  one  hundred  and  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  degrees.  The  steam  let  into  the  stocks,  in  the  trials 
referred  to,  was,  as  I  have  been  informed,  neariy,  or  quite  at  a 
boiling  heat,  or  more  than  two  hundred  degrees,  being  nearly 
double  the  heat  that  good  fulling  requires.  This  accounts  at  once 
for  all  the  defects  in  the  cloth  done  by  them.  The  wool  instead  of 
gradually  creeping  up  into  shorter  lengths,  was  forced  in  too  rapid- 
ly, and  the  hairs  became  matted  together,  as  in  hatters'  felts  :  the 
staple  also  was  injured,  by  being  pounded  for  so  many  hours,  in  so 
high  a  temperature.  The  first  and  second  effects  made  tlic  ground 
of  the  cloth  too  hard,  and  the  third  caused  the  wool  to  roll  off  when 
acted  upon  by  the  card  and  teazle  points. 

To  try  this  mode  of  fulling  fairly,  a  thermometer  should  be  in- 
serted in  the  tube  conveying  the  steam  from  the  boiler  to  the 
stocks,  and  the  operation  should  be  attended  by  an  experienced 
and  liberally  minded  millman,  as  well  as  by  an  intelligent  mana- 
ger :  the  former  to  attend  the  cloth  whilst  working,  and  the  latter 
to  see  that  tlie  temperature  of  the  steam  is  kept  at  a  proper  stao- 
dard  all  tlie  time.  Let  the  first  cloth  be  fulled  at  one  hundred  de- 
grees and  the  heat  be  increased  every  fresli  piece  five  degrees  until 
the  maximum  is  found,  and  I  am  much  mistaken  if  it  would  not 
prove  that  this  is  the  best  possible  way  of  fulling  cloth.  When  the 
proper  temperature  has  been  once  discovered,  a  valve  should  be 
fixed  in  the  wooden  boiler,  that  will  lift  at  the  requisite  heat,  by 
which  means  the  machine  would  ever  after  regulate  itself,  nothing 
being  left  to  chance,  nor  to  the  neglectful  habits  of  workmen. 


99 

It  was  not  orig^inally  my  intention  to  have  said  so  much  on  this 
subject,  being-  aware  that  such  long  digressions  are  often  blamea- 
ble.  Yet  if  the  opinion  I  have  advanced  be  correct,  and  should 
be  the  means  of  introducing'  a  mode  of  fulling  that  would  save  in 
the  aggregate  many  thousands  of  dollars  per  annum  to  manufactu- 
rers, it  will  not  be  considered  as  useless. 


DRESSING,  OR  RAISING  THE  NAP  OF  CLOTH. 

RAISING  the  nap  is  that  operation  by  which  the  right  side  of 
tlie  cloth  has  all  tlie  disposable  wool  drawn  to  and  laid  on  it,  in  one 
direction,  from  the  last  to  the  head  end.  This  is  performed  either 
by  hand,  which  is  called  dubbing,  when  done  on  a  dubbing  board, 
and  timming  when  done  with  a  timming  hog;  or  it  is  done  at  a 
machine  known  by  the  name  of  gig-mill,  when  it  is  called  gigging. 
This  work  can  never  be  well  executed  by  hand  on  a  stout  and  fine 
cloth,  unless  at  such  an  expense  as  would  make  it  folly  to  attempt 
it.  Hand  work  is  so  expensive  that  no  English  manufacturer  will 
employ  it,  unless  where,  from  the  refractory  disposition  of  the 
workmen,  tliCy  are  not  permitted  to  use  the  gig-mill ;  miich  less 
ouglit  it  to  be  adopted  in  tljis  country,  where  wages  are  full  forty 
per  cent  higher  than  in  England.  Hand  work  being  so  expen5ive> 
as  to  preclude  its  being  employed  here,  I  shall  confine  my  descrip- 
tion entirely  to  the  gig-mill,  and  to  the  mode  of  working  it.  The 
American  manufacturers  are,  in  general,  ignorant  of  this  branch, 
therefore,  I  shall  attempt  to  explain  all  that  may  be  necessary  to 
make  them  understand  the  operation:  yet,  as  practical  judgment 
is  necessary  in  this,  as  well  as  all  other  branches,  I  feel  compelled 
to  reiterate  what  I  before  enforced,  that  those  managers  who  mean 
to  excel,  must  devote  all  their  time  and  attention  to  make  them- 
selves practically  acquainted  with  the  business,  more  especially  so 
far  as  to  enable  them  to  know  how  work  ought  to  be  done,  and 
when  it  he  well  performed. 


100 

la  desaSmg  the  g^-ndD,  I  sbaU  treat  oi  ilHiplpn^ilNNliiDct 
l<eads;  first,  of  the  nrarhme  and  geaiin^;  seoondlT.  of  ibe  teazle 
.ijid  handles ;  tiirdlj,  of  siipjpfyiiig-  the  ck^  idth  water,  i^hilst  at 
wock ;  aad  lasdy,  (tf  tiie  wotk  giren  to  the  cloth. 

I  an  so  iiiue  accnsuMDed  to  describe  r  v,  and  so  much 

^macquaiiited  wifh  mechanics,  that  I  fee:  -  hc>w  to  make 

:  his  part  so  clear  and  idain  to  ^j  readers  h.-  cj  shall  not 

Hustake  my  meaning.     I  bc^^e,  boverer,  that  me  most  material 
parte  viU  not  be  misandeistood. 

Tbe  barrel  of  a  g^^<-miD  AooU  not  be  less  than  two  feet  ten 
indbes,  nor  nMii>e  than  three  feet  m  diameter,  when  corop jete.  Tbe 
cenlie  is  a.  sinat  sqoaie  iron  ^nft,  with  arois  of  the  szme  metal, 
ext^idin^  from  it,  at  filiort  distanoee  finora  eac^  olher,  to  5npp>ort  a 
:;ivea  moaober  of  stroii^  ciicalar  iron  hoops.  The  arms  arc  per- 
aanentJT  fixed  in  the  dntft,  and  the  hoops  nretted  to  the  ^ids  of 
be  aims.  Aromd  the  hoops  are  placed  wooden  frsimes  for  boldicg 
tiae  teazle  handles,  windi  Iw  the  lei^;1h  of  the  machine,  crossing- 
be  hoopsat  light  angles:  th»e  fram^  are  penaaneotly  secnred 
ta  Ihe  1mio!»,  and  ther  are  made  so  as  to  pat  one  cod  of  tLe  handle 
into  afiqnare  apotnxe  corered  with  thin  sheet-iroo,  and  the  olher 
rod  placed  in  an  open  apeitnre  secnred  by  an  iron  hook,  snspend- 
^  finim  a  steel  sprung,  that  b  fastened  at  the  back  of  tbe  frame. 
The  bone!  shooM  be  as  fe^  three  inches  in  length-  At  the  right 
oandof  the  barrd,  standi^  at  the  fmat  of  the  machine,  the  gear- 
ing B  placed.  In  Ei^^and  this  is  wade  with  two  friction  vrheeis, 
one  penBancntly  fixed  to  that  end  of  the  riiaftof  the  barrel,  which 
»  ciangated  fi»r  the  poipose,  the  otbo*  being  attached  to  gearing, 
from  the  water  wheel,  and  so  fixed  as  to  recede  fitHn,  or  approach 
^seolher  by  means  of  a  lev^^.  Whei  the  baird  is  wanted  to  be 
wofked,  the  latter  is  thrown  into  the  inside  at  the  fiMmer,  to  which 
itoaammicates  its  motion.  There  are  two  roDers,  one  above  the 
rtaxrel  of  the  gig^-nnlL,  rather  at  the  back  of  its  ccnlre ;  and  the 
other  under  it,  similazfy  wtnated :  into  holes,  notcl«ed  oat  on  the 
}ower  roller,  teoter  hooks  are  dnven,  so  that  tlieir  points  shall  l>e 


101 

below  the  level  of  the  wood,  to  prevent  the  cloth  from  being  torn. 
On  the  upper  roller  is  fastened,  by  means  of  hinges,  a  swinging 
strip  of  wood,  the  length  of  the  roller,  having  three  ot  four  links  of 
flatted  chain  attached  to  it  at  both  ends,  and  when  fastened  to  the 
roller,  the  strip  hang  pendent  from,  and  every  where  parallel  to 
it.  Tenter  hooks  are  driven  into  this  strip  with  the  same  precau- 
tion as  is  used  in  fixing  them  in  the  lower  roller.  These  rollers 
are  geared,  by  means  of  cog  and  friction  wheels,  to  the  main  bar- 
rel of  the  machine,  and  the  swinging  strip  before  described,  falls 
into  a  groove,  cut  in  the  roller,  when  brought  up  by  its  moving 
round.  The  rollers  have  a  quick  or  slow  motion,  at  the  will  of 
the  workmen. 

The  handle  frames  are  made  so  as  to  hold  three  roAVs  of  teazles 
each,  and  are  divided  into  two  parts  or  sides.     The  centre  is  a 
piece  of  hard  wood,  of  an  oblong  square,  about  an  inch  deep,  and 
three  quarters  of  an  inch  wide,  at  the  thickest  part.     They  are 
grooved  on  the  sides,  for  the  purpose  of  letting  in  that  part  of  the 
circle  of  the  teazle  that  presses  against  it,  so  as  not  unnecessarily 
to  break  down  the  points.     This  centre  piece  is  from  five  to  six 
inches  long ;  about  an  inch  from  the  upper  end  a  hole  is  drilled  for 
the  purpose  of  letting  through  a  small  round  rod,  the  size  of  a  small 
pipe  stem,  made  of  tough  wood,  such  as  dry  young  white  oak;  it 
should  be  about  nine  inches  long,  having  a  swell  at  the  centre,  so 
that  when  driven  in,  it  may  remain  permanently  fixed.     At  one 
inch,  or  rather  more,  from  the  lower  end  of  the  cnntre  of  the  han- 
dle, tenons  are  cut  lengthwise  of  the  piece,  to  let  in  two  thin  slats 
of  tough  wood.     The  centres,  where  it  passes  through  the  upright, 
should  project  so  as  to  meet,  and  the  other  parts  should  be  cut  so 
as  to  leave-an  opening  sufficiently  wide  to  let  in  the  stalks  of  the 
teazles.     Each  end  of  the  rods,  and  of  the  slabs,  are  notched  suffi- 
ciently deep  to  tie  large  twine  round  them,  but  not  so  as  to  endan- 
'^  ger  their  breaking.     The  stalks  of  the  first  row  of  teazles  are  put 
in  between  the  slats,  the  bottom  part  of  the  heads  being  pressed 
against  their  edges ;  the  stalks  of  the  next  row  are  forced  in  be- 
tween the  teazles  of  the  first;  and  of  the  third  between  the  second, 
9* 


102 

Wkentlie  Trhole  of  one  side  are  in  place  tbey  are  tied  down  with 
twine,  from  the  end  of  the  rod  to  the  slats,  so  firm  that  the  motion 
of  the  g-ig-mill  barrel  will  not  shake  them  out:  both  sides  of  every 
handle  are  lilled  in  the  same  way. 

Below  the  g-ig-mill  barrel,  and  in  front  of  it,  a  leaden  pipe,  of  an 
inch  bore,  is  laid  along-,  supported  against  a  wooden  bar.  This 
pipe  has  a  naraber  of  small  holes  in  it,  through  which  the  water 
streams  out  with  such  an  angle  of  elevation  as  will  force  it  on  the 
cloth  just  as  it  enters  on  the  barrel.  At  the  right  hand,  immedi- 
ately within  the  post  of  the  gig-mill  frame,  a  brass  cock  is  placed 
in  the  pipe,  to  enable  the  workman  to  let  on  and  stop  the  water  at 
his  pleasure.  From  the  cock  the  pipe  is  either  led  up  the  post,  or 
let  into  the  ground,  and  continued  to  a  reservoir  of  water,  which 
should  have  a  head  of  at  least  six  feet  above  that  part  of  the  pipe 
which  passes  in  front  of  the  cloth,  in  order  that  the  weight  of  the  co- 
lumn may  be  sufficient  to  force  the  water  so  hardly  against  the  cloth 
as  to  drive  through  it. 

The  barrel  having  been  filled  with  handles,  and  well  secured, 
ihe  cloth  intended  to  be  dressed,  is  placed  on  a  slatted  barrow,  six 
feet  by  three,  fixed  on  a  swivel  rising  six  inches  from  tlie  floor,  so 
as  to  move  round  when  the  cloth  is  on  it,  in  order  that  when  half  a 
course  has  been  given  in  one  direction,  the  wet  cloth  may  be  turn- 
ed to  reverse  the  end,  without  obliging  the  workmen  to  reverse  it 
by  hand.  Before  the  clotli  is  worked,  pieces  of  white  canvass  are 
sown  on  to  each  end  of  it,  sufficiently  long  for  the  cloth  to  reach 
to  the  middle  of  the  barrel  of  the  gig -mill,  when  it  is  hooked  on 
the  tenters.  This  being  done,  and  one  canvass  hooked  on  the 
Jower  roller,  the  machine  is  thrown  into  gear,  and  the  cloth,  so 
far,  wound  on  the  roller,  that  the  canvass  at  the  other  end  will 
reach  so  as  to  admit  of  its  being  hooked  on  the  upper  one.  Whilst 
the  latter  end  is  hooking  on,  the  machine  is  thrown  out  of  gear. 
When  every  thing  is  prepared,  and  the  box  at  the  end  of  the  fric- 
tion lever  is  weighted,  so  as  to  produce  the  necessary  strain,  the 
machine  is  thrown^nto  gear,  and  the  cloth  passes  very  slowly  from 


I 


103 

ihe  lower  to  the  upper  roller,  the  main  barrel  in  which  the  teazles^ 
are  placed,  meeting-  the  motion  of  the  cloth.  When  the  whole 
length  is  up  so  that  the  lower  end  of  the  cloth  comes  on  the  teazles, 
it  is  rolled  back  again,  with  a  quick  motion,  by  means,  which  1  am 
not  mechanic  enough  to  describe.  Six  of  these  runnings  up  in 
one  direction,  on  one  side  of  a  set  of  handles,  and  then  another  six 
lunnings  up  in  the  opposite  direction,  with  the  other  face  of  the 
handles  to  the  cloth,  is  called  a  course  in  Gloucestershire ;  but  in 
Wiltshire  they  term  five  runnings  up  each  way,  a  course.  I  must 
beg  of  manufacturers,  to  be  particularly  attentive  to  this  part  of 
the  subject,  as  it  includes  that  in  which  they  are  more  immediately 
interested.  I  have  stated,  that  what  is  called  a  course  of  work, 
includes  twelve  runnings  up  at  the  gig-mill,  from  the  lower  to  the 
upper  roller,  six  from  tlie  head  end  to  the  last  end  of  the  clotli,  and 
six  from  the  last  end  to  the  head  end,  with  handles  reversed.  Be^ 
fore  I  progress,  it  will  be  necessary  to  describe  how  the  handles 
are  arranged,  cleaned,  and  dried. 

There  should  be  prepared  for  every  gig-mill,  at  least  three  sets 
of  handles,  each  set  containing  ten  courses,  that  is  thirty  times  as 
many  as  will  fill  the  barrel  of  the  gig-mill  once.  When  a  course 
has  been  given  to  a  cloth,  the  handles  are  taken  out,  they  are 
cleaned  from  the  flocks  with  an  iron  comb,  by  a  small  boy,  and  are 
then  put  up  to  dry.  For  the  convenience  of  drying,  narrow  sheds 
are  provided,  open  on  all  sides,  having  a  close,  shallow  roof,  which 
J3  placed  on  the  top  of  two  posts  standing  six  feet  distant  from  each 
other.  Between  the  posts  are  placed  double  slats,  each  pair  just 
far  enough  apart  to  admit  the  longest  leg  of  the  centre  of  the  Iran- 
die,  with  space  enough  to  go  in  easy,  or  about  tv^o  inches  asunder ; 
on  these  the  handles  are  placed  in  an  upright  position,  when  dry. 
After  the  handles  are  taken  out  of  the  gig-mill,  having  done  the 
work  of  one  course,  they  are  first  laid  hollow,  the  heads  of  two 
leaning  on  each  other,  and  slanting  off  in  an  angle  of  about  twen- 
ty-five degrees,  and  when  quite  dry,  they  are  placed  upright,  close 
together,  and  each  pair  oi  slats  should,  when  so  placed,  hold  as 
many  handles  as  will  fill  the  gig-mill  barrel  once.     It  will  be  seen,' 


104 

that  six  of  these  sheds,  each  containing  five  pair  of  slats,  will  be 
wanted  for  the  handles  of  each  gig--mill.  To  prevent  the  slats 
from  flag-g-ing  in  the  centre  by  the  weight  of  the  teazles,  they  are 
passed  through  an  upright  inch  board,  which  also  helps  to  support 
the  roof.  I  scarcely  need  mention,  that  these  sheds  should  be 
placed  near  to  the  workmen,  and  where  they  will  be  most  exposed 
to  the  air,  to  facilitate  the  drying. 

Workmen  and  managers  will  think  they  can  do  with  a  smaller 
number  of  handles  than  I  have  directed  for  them ;  but  they  must 
consider  that  handles  and  sheds  are  cheap  and  durable,  and  that 
teazles  are  dear  and  soon  worn  out.  They  are,  probably,  not 
aware  how  much  longer  teazles  will  bear  working  when  tliorough- 
ly  dried,  than  when  re-worked  in  a  damp  state,  and  that  it  is  not 
only  necessary  the  spurs  should  be  dry,  but  the  head  also  which 
supports  them  ;  for  unless  this  be  dry,  the  spurs  will  either  break 
off  and  leave  tiiem  pointless,  or  they  will  be  so  limber  as  not  to 
stand  to  their  work.  I  do  not  wish  to  make  manufacturing  more 
expensive  than  it  now  is,  but,  if  possible,  to  lessen  the  expense, 
and  nothing  will  contribute  to  do  it  more  effectually,  in  this  de- 
partment, than  having  a  full  complement  of  work,  and  proper 
drying  conveniencies. 

The  quantity  of  work  that  is  required  for  each  piece,  must  be 
regulated  by  the  judgment  either  of  the  manager,  or  of  the  work- 
man ;  for  that  which  would  be  no  more  than  necessary  to  raise  a 
good  nap  on  some  cloths,  would  tear  others  to  pieces.  The  work, 
as  I  have  before  said,  is  calculated  by  courses  of  twelve  runnings 
up,  the  ends  of  the  cloth  and  the  handles  being  reversed  every  six 
runnings  up,  the  last  six  being  always  from  the  last  to  the  head  end 
so  as  to  lay  the  nap  in  that  direction,  in  whicli  it  has  finally  to  re- 
main. Before  a  cloth  is  begun,  the  barrel  must  be  clothed  with 
dead  work;  that  is,  the  handles  of  the  first  course  has  to  be  filled 
with  teazles,  whose  points  have  been  made  quite  tender  by  previ- 
ous working.     Every  course  that  succeeds  it,  must  be  filled  with 


105 

better  aftd  better  teazles,  the  handles  of  the  last  being-  one-third  of 
them  set  %vilh  new  teazles,  and  in  some  cases,  where  the  cloth  is 
V  ery.  stout,  it  will  require  two-fifths  of  new  ones. 

For  raising"  the  nap  effectually  on  a  piece  of  stout  felt,  forty  two 
yards  long-,  from  ten  to  twelve  courses  are  required,  or  from  one 
hundred  and  twenty  to  one  hundred  and  forty  runnings  up.  Other 
fine  cloth  not  so  stout  must  have  work  in  proportion  to  its  sub- 
stance. To  know  when  a  piece  is  sufficiently  dressed,  open  the 
pile  and  examine  the  ground  of  the  cloth.  If  the  wool  be  so  clear- 
ed out  that  the  upper  parts  of  the  chain  threads  are  distinctly  seen, 
unclog-ed  with  wool,  then  it  is  well  raised ;  but  if  the  ground  be 
still  clog-ged  with  wool,  it  must  have  more  work.  An  experienced 
workman  will  know  when  the  nap  is  well  raised,  by  placing  his 
hand  on  the  cloth  above  the  barrel ;  when  it  feels  very  mellow  and 
soft,  it  is  considered  to  be  sufficiently  dressed ;  but  so  long  as  it 
feels  stiff  and  hard,  it  will  bear  more  work.  This  criterion  can- 
not well  be  described,  and  can  only  be  felt  by  those  who  have  long 
experience  ;  therefore,  it  is  better  to  be  governed  by  the  former 
criterion,  which  being  visible,  is  much  more  certain,  and  more  rea- 
dily acquired. 

When  a  perfect  nap  is  raised  on  a  piece  of  thick,  fine,  firm  cloth, 
the  face  is  well  and  closely  covered,  and  equally  so  in  every  part. 
When  the  nap  is  thin  on  stout  cloth,  it  proves  either  that  it  has  not 
been  sufficiently  raised,  or  that  much  of  it  has  been  taken  off  by 
defective  workmanship.  The  latter  will  be  the  case  when  the 
cloth  has  been  worked  too  dry,  or  when  the  teazles  used  in  the 
first  courses  have  been  too  strong.  Under  either  of  these  circum- 
stances the  wool  will  be  dragged  off  the  face  instead  of  being 
drawn  out  and  laid  on  it.  It  is  therefore  necessary  always  to  keep 
the  cloth  well  filled  with  water  during  the  whole  of  the  operation, 
and  some  manufacturers  keep  the  strainer  running  on  it  more 
than  one  half  the  time,  others  again  only  occasionally ;  but  at  all 
events,  it  must  ever  be  kept  quite  moist.    When  a  cloth  come*- 


106 

from  the  fulling-mill,  the  wool  is  always  closely  matted  tt^ether  irt 
the  ground,  and  if  in  the  first  courses,  tlie  work  be  too  strong  it 
will  tear  it  out  with  a  force  sufficient  to  break  the  staple  of  the 
wool ;  but  when  dead  work  is  used  in  the  first  courses,  and 
the  strength  of  each  is  gradually  increased,  the  hairs  are  gently 
drawn  out  in  succession,  and  comparatively,  very  little  is  taken 
off.  The  French,  in  order  to  avoid  this,  give  more  time  in  the 
working,  and  use  more  of  dead  work  than  the  English.  They  give 
the  cloth  three  or  four  dead  courses,  then  cut  a  wet  kerf,  and  re- 
peat with  better  work,,  until  it  is  finished.  The  English  are  about 
eight  hours  in  raising  the  nap  of  a  fine  stout  felt,  and  the  French 
are  from  twelve  to  sixteen.  A  French  cloth,  therefore,  of  any 
given  fine  quality,  has  a  better  nap  on  it,  and  a  much  finer  face 
than  the  English.  I  am  aware  that  in  making  this  assertion,  I  am 
treading  on  very  ticklish  ground;  but  the  fact  is  well  known  ia 
London  by  every  respectable  trader  in  the  article,  and  I  can  see 
no  reason,  excepting  sheer  national  prejudice,  why  ii  should  not  be 
candidly  acknowledged  in  a  work  of  this  description,  having  for 
its  object  to  instruct  manufacturers  in  the  be*tmode  of  working. 

When  a  stout  cloth  has  been  raised  with  due  regard  to  the  fore- 
going instructions,  it  will,  when  finished,  have  a  fine  water  gloss 
on  the  face,  superior  to  hot  pressing,  and  which  wearing  will  never 
remove. 

In  many  of  the  gig-mills  I  have  seen  at  work  in  this  country,  tiie 
ends  of  the  cloth  are  sewn  together,  or  otherwise  fastened  with 
long  slender  needles,  and  it  keeps  going  round  by  passing  over 
one,  or  between  two  rollers,  placed  above  and  at  the  back  of  the 
band,  from  whence  it  falls  down  on  an  inclined  plane  to  the  pit 
below.  It  is  from  thence  drawn  slowly  forward  over  a  bar  placed 
underneath  the  barrel,  a  little  forward  of  its  centre,  and  it  contin- 
ues going  slowly  round  until  tbe  workmen  stops  it  to  give  the  cloth 
an  opposite  direction,  or  to  put  in  new  work.  Tliis  is  by  no  means 
a  bad  way  of  raising  the  nap,  and  I  should  consider  it  equally  as 
good  as  the  process  I  have  described,   provided  every  other  part 


107 

were  equally  well  manag-ed  :  but  there  are  many  defects  which  I 
shall  presently  describe. 

A  g^i^-mill  that  is  under  proper  management,  and  with  every 
thing  well  regulated,  ought  to  raise  the  nap  of  sixty  yards  of  broad 
cloth  every  day,  and  that  with  but  little  expense  for  workmanship. 
This  would  be  eighteen  ends  of  broad  cloth  per  week,  or  about  as 
much  as  could  be  made  by  three  billies.  I  Avill  first  describe  how 
they  manage  these  things  in  that  part  of  England  I  came  from 
where  no  other  kind  of  dressing  is  known,  and  then  point  out  the 
defects  in  the  process  as  pursued  here. 

In  that  country,  a  millman,  the  person  who  undertakes  to  full 
the  cloth,  has  the  raising  of  the  nap  also,  which  he  does  in  some 
factories  by  the  piece,  in  others  by  the  day.  Where  done  by  the 
piece,  or  day,  the  twine,  soap,  and  teazles  are  found  by  the  manu- 
facturer. The  millman,  with  a  lad  of  sixteen,  and  a  boy  of  ten  or 
twelve,  will  do  all  the  work  of  two  pair  of  stocks,  and  raise  the  nap 
of  the  cloth  fulled  in  them ;  that  is,  they  will  full  and  raise  the  nap 
of  eighty  four  yards  of  cloth  per  day,  or  twenty  four  ends  per  week. 
It  is  true  they  work  eighteen  hours  out  of  four  and  twenty;  but 
they  get  through  with  the  work,  and  no  manufacturer  would  think 
of  having  more  strength  employed  to  perform  it. 

Let  us  see  how  they  get  along  with  these  things  here.  At  a 
manufactory  in  New  Jersey,  where  they  make  nearly  twelve  ends 
of  cloth  per  week,  and  where  they  boast  much  of  their  manage- 
ment, they  employ  a  mill-man  to  work  one  pair  of  stocks,  and  five 
men  and  one  or  two  boys  to  raise  the  nap.  Four  of  the  men  are 
constantly  employed  in  raising,  by  hand,  at  two  trimming  hogs, 
and  one  man  and  a  boy  work  the  gig-mill.  There  are  then  six 
men  at  seven  and  a  half  dollars  per  week  each,  and  two  boys  at 
two  dollars,  employed  to  do  half  the  work  that  is  done  by  one  man, 
one  lad,  and  one  boy,  in  England,  and  when  the  cloth  is  finished, 
the  nap  is  not  half  so  well  raised  here  as  there. 


108 

I  would  senoDsly  ask  those  manag-ers  who  are  workiug  in  this 
vray,  whether  they  expect,  by  pursuing  such  a  system,  to  be  able 
to  compete  successfully  with  the  importing  mercliant  ?  It  is  true , 
at  the  present  time,  they  are  able  to  do  so ;  but  this  opportunity 
mar  be  g-one  before  they  are  aware  of  it.  With  a  protecting  duty 
of  twenty-seven  and  a  half  per  cent,  and  an  exchange  of  ten, 
^uch  concerns  are  enabled  barely  to  get  along  with  a  tolerable 
profit ;  and  this  would  not  now  be  the  case,  provided  articles  could 
be  found  to  exchange  with  Europe,  to  allow  of  a  more  extended 
importation.  How  soon  the  state  of  things  may  change,  it  is  im- 
possible to  foresee ;  it,  therefore,  behoves  our  manufacturers  to 
lessen  their  expenses  in  every  possible  way,  whilst  the  profits  of 
the  business  afford  them  the  opportunity,  in  order  to  be  enabled 
to  enter  successfully  into  competition  with  foreign  manufactures 
rrhen  circumstances  shall  become  less  promising. 

I  do  not  wish  to  alarm  the  capitahsts  engaged  in  this  business, 
yet  it  is  necessary  they  should  be  aware  of  the  ground  they  stand 
on ;  for  it  is  in  their  power,  by  making  timely  exertion,  to  establish 
themselves  so  permanently  that  no  foreign  competition  shall  shake 
their  stability. 

The  gig-mills,  and  the  manner  of  using  them,  are  miserably  de- 
^cient  in  this  country ;  the  barrels  every  where,  so  far  as  I  am  ac- 
quainted, are  much  too  small,  many  of  tliem  being  only  two  feet 
diameter,  instead  of  three  ;  the  cloth,  instead  of  wrapping  round 
nearly  half  the  barrel,  as  in  England,  is  never  set  to  come  in  con- 
tact with  more  than  one- fifth,  and  in  many  of  them,  much  less . 
the  barrel,  which,  when  three  feet  in  diameter,  should  mak§  one 
hundred  and  twenty  revolutions  in  a  minute,  does  not  often  make 
more  than  eighty,  although  only  twenty  feet ;  the  handles  in  which 
the  teazles  are  set,  generally  contain  but  one  row,  and  never  more 
than  two,  instead  of  three.  I  have  never  seen  a  regular  set  of 
bandies  for  the  necessary  courses  in  any  factory  in  this  country 
and  the  handles  are  seldom  well  supported  behind,  so  as  to  keep 
the  points  to  the  face  of  the  cloth.     It  is  not  surprising,  therefore, 


10^ 

under  all  these  defects,  that  manufacturers  should  be  disappointed 
in  the  working-  of  their  gig--mill3,  or  that  they  should  conclude 
hand  work  was  better.  We  will  calculate  on  the  consequences 
attending  these  defects,  to  show  that  the  fault  is  not  in  the  ma- 
chine, but  in  the  mode  of  framing,  gearing,  and  working  it. 

It  requires  eight  hours  constant  working,  to  raise  the  nap  effec- 
tually on  a  piece  of  felt,  measuring  forty  yards,  with  an  English 
gig-mill,  having  a  three  feet  barrel,  and  moving  with  a  velocity 
equal  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  revolutions  in  a  minute.     With 
one,  therefore,  of  only  two  feet,  supposing  it  to  have  the  same 
speed,  it  will  require  twelve  hours  to  produce  the  same  effect.  The 
one  revolving  one  hundred  and  twenty  times  in  a  minute,  and  the 
other  only  eighty,  will  extend  the  time  to  sixteen  hours ;  and  as 
the  cloth  wraps  as  much  again  round  the  English  barrel  as  it  does 
round  the  American,  the  latter  will  give  us  thirty-two  hours.  Sup- 
posing two  rows  of  teazles  to  be  fixed  in  the  handles  instead  of 
three,  this  will  bring  it  to  forty-three  hours,  and  where  only  one 
row  to  fifty-three.      This  added    to  the  want  of  regular  sets  of 
work,  and  to  the  handles  not  being  properly  supported  at  the  back, 
will  make  the  total  at  least,  fifty-six  hours,  or  seven  times  as  long 
as  is  required  at  the  English  gig-mill.     If  this  were  all,  it  would 
require  only  time  and  patience  to  produce  the  same  effect;  but  it 
has  been  proved,  by  experience,  that  a  slow-motioned  gig -mill  will 
never  raise  a  good  nap  on  cloth,  and,  however  strange  it  may  ap- 
pear to  those  who  are  not  experienced  manufacturers,  there  is  a 
much  larger  portion  of  nap  robbed  from  the  face  of  cloth,  when 
worked  with  a  slow,  than  there  is  when  worked  with  a  rapid  motion. 

To  enable  cloth  to  stand  the  work  of  a  gig- mill,  it  must  be  wove 
true  and  square  on  the  loom,  ?ach  list  having  an  equal  strain  and 
length,  and  the  lists  must  be  made  strong  and  with  sound  mate- 
rial, or  they  will  be  cut  to  pieces  before  the  nap  is  half  raised. 

A  very  passable  nap  may  be  raised  by  h^nd,   when  the  work  is 

faithfully  performed  by  a  workman  who  understands  the  process. 
10 


110 

It  requires  as  many,  or  more  courses  of  work  in  this  operabon,  as 

when  performed  by  the  g-ig'-mill,  beginniog-  with  dead  work,  and 
prog^ssing  to  that  which  is  quick.  The  great  eiTor  in  raising  the 
nap  by  hand,  lies  in  the  workmen  not  griving  half  work  enough, 
and  beginning  to  clear  out  with  strong  teazles  before  the  proper 
time.  The  result  of  such  mode  of  working,  is  a  thin,  coarse, 
straggling  nap,  which,  when  cut  down  low  enough  to  wear  smooth, 
leaves  a  bare  thread,  and  if  left  long  enough  to  corer  the  ground 
ef  the  cloth,  will  wear  very  rou^h. 


TEXTERING. 

WHEN  the  nap  has  been  sufficiently  raised,  tiie  cloth  must  be 
(entered  for  the  purpose  of  drying  it.  TTiis  operation  has  also  for  its 
obiect,  to  strain  it  so  much  in  length  and  breadth,  as  will  makr  aH 
parts  smooth  and  even ;  for  were  it  dried  without  being  fixed  in  a 
frame  and  stretched,  the  cloth  would  shrink  up  unequally,  and 
leaTC  it  so  rough  and  wrinkly,  that  it  could  not  be  sheared  without 
cutting,  nor  pressed  with  an  even  face. 

A  cloth  intended  for  seven  quarters,  being  fulled  into  six  and  a 
half  within  the  lists,  is  stretched  to  seven  in  the  tenters,  aiwi  is  pull* 
ed  in  length,  one  yard  in  twenty  beyond  what  it  measured  when  it 
came  from  the  stocks.  When  set  in  the  tenters,  stretched,  and 
hooked,  the  face  is  sprinkled  with  water,  and  then  run  from  the 
last  to  the  head  end,  first  with  fine  cards,  and  then  twice  with  long 
brushes  made  for  the  purpose.  As  soon  as  a  cloth  is  dry,  it  should 
be  taken  from  the  tenters,  particularly  in  the  summer  season :  as 
being  exposed  long  afterwards,  hardens  the  face,  by  making  the 
wool  dry,  harsh,  and  brittle. 


Ill 


SHEARING. 

THE  intention  in  shearing,  is  to  cut  down  the  nap  which  has 
been  raised  bv  the  gig-mill.  This  has  to  be  done  so  as  to  make  it 
very  short,  yet  to  cover  the  ground  of  the  cloth  so  completely» 
that  none  of  the  threads  may  show.  The  thicker  the  nap  is,  and 
the  lower  and  more  even  it  can  be  cut,  so  as  not  to  lay  the  threads 
bare,  the  better.  This  is  performed  either  by  hand  with  a  pair  of 
sheers,  or  by  machinery.  Hand-work  is  so  expensive,  that  in 
some  countries,  in  England,  it  is  entirely  laid  aside,  and  would  be, 
in  all  of  them,  if  the  workmen  would  permit  it.  The  nap  is  cut 
down  gradually,  each  cutting  over,  being  called  a  kerf,  and  fine 
cloth  requires  from  five  to  seven  of  these,  the  wrong  side  also  be- 
ing cut  one  kerf. 

There  are  many  shearing  machines  in  use  in  this  country,  no 
less  than  eight  or  ten  having  been  patented  in  a  few  years ;  but 
none  of  them  perform  the  work  any  thing  like  so  well  as  the  first 
patented  English  machine,  called  Harmer's  shearing  frame,  on 
which  two  shears  work  exactly  in  the  same  way  as  by  hand,  ex- 
cepting that  the  bobs  move  by  mechanical  motion.  In  this  way, 
one  lad  of  sixteen  can  attend  two  frames,  working  four  shears. 
Two  other  shearing  machines,  that  are  occasionally  used,  have 
been  patented  in  England,  one  is  an  improvement  of  Hovey's,  the 
other  had  just  come  out  when  I  left  that  country,  and  was  pro- 
nounced to  be  much  superior  to  either  of  the  others.  It  worked 
with  knives  about  twelve  inches  long,  placed  on  the  machine  dia- 
gonally, so  as  to  include  the  whole  breadth  of  the  cloth,  which 
passed  under  them  from  end  to  end.  The  sample  pieces  cut  with 
it  were  said  to  be  better  executed  than  any  work  of  the  kind  ever 
before  seen,  and  it  cut  a  kerf  over  twenty  yards  of  broad  cloth  in 
fifteen  minutes.  The  machine  was  very  expensive,  the  price,  I 
believe,  being  about  one  thousand  dollars. 

Of  the  machines,  used  in  this  country.  Swift's  is  undoubtedly  the 
best.     It  puts  more  cleanly  tkan  any  other  shearer  I  have  seen,  ancl 


112 

when  worked  wiih  a  motion  sufficiently  rapid  and  regular,  and  ihc 
edg^es  of  the  working  and  ledger  blades  are  in  good  order,  it  per- 
forms whait  may  be  called  good  work.  It  is  essential,  in  all  such 
machines,  to  take  care  they  do  not  traverse  faster  than  they  cut, 
or.  whenever  this  happens,  the  nap,  will  be  left  in  ridges  j  and  al- 
iiiough  this  may  partially  be  removed  in  cutting  the  subsequent 
kerfs,  yet,  to  a  nice  obserrer,  accustomed  to  the  business,  it  can 
easily  be  discovered  when  the  cloth  is  finished. 

It  is  a  great  object,  in  shearing,  not  to  have  the  nap  dr^^ed  out 
by  the  machines  whilst  they  are  cutting.  This  will  always  be  the 
case,  more  or  less,  when  cloth  is  cut  with  blades  whose  edges  are 
dull.  It  is,  therefore,  essentially  requisite,  whatever  machine  is 
used,  that  the  edges  be  always  kept  in  good  order.  For  want  of 
this,  the  best  constructed  machines  will  do  bad  work.  The  ma- 
chine most  generally  used  in  England,  next  to  Harmer's,  is  Ho- 
ey's,  improved  by  Lewis.  The  cutting  blade  in  this  is  very  small, 
and  made  of  the  best  steel.  It  is  wound  round  a  polished  iron  cy- 
linder, two  inches  diameter,  in  a  spiral  form,  and  is  secured  at  the 
ends.  Lewis,  the  patentee,  sends  three  of  the  blades  with  each 
machine,  and  he  engages  to  keep  them  in  order  for  a  trifling  sum 
per  annum.  %Mien  one  edge  begins  to  get  dull,  it  is  taken  off, 
another  put  in  its  place,  and  the  dull  one  sent  to  the  machine  maker, 
who  puts  it  in  order,  and  returns  it,  so  that  the  manufacturer  is 
always  supplied  with  good  edges,  at  a  trifling  expense,  and  without 
any  trouble  to  kimself. 

I  would  recommend  some  such  plan  to  Mr.  Swift.  Let  him  pro- 
Tide  t^i'o  or  three  cutters  to  every  machine,  and  employ,  in  the 
capital  of  every  state,  where  manufacturers  are  numerous,  some 
able  workman  to  keep  the  blades  in  order  at  a  moderate  annual 
expense ;  by  these  means  the  sale  of  his  machines  would  become 
more  extensive,  and  the  work  turned  out  by  them  be  much  less 
objectionable.  I  should  also  presume  that  the  workmen  would  be 
amplv  remunerated  by  a  commission  on  the  sale  of  the  machines, 
and  by  the  price  paid  for  erecting  and  keeping  tliem  in  repair. 


113 


BRUSHING  THE  CLOTH. 


THE  cloth,  after  shearing,  is  usually  well  brushed  at  a  machine, 
made  similar  to  a  gig-mill,  only  much  smaller  in  the  barrel,  and 
having  three  or  four  rows  of  brushes  on  it.  It  should  have  at  least 
half  an  hour's  work  on  each  piece.  Before  it  be  brushed,  all  the 
lints  should  be  taken  out  of  the  cloth. 


«0IL1NG  THE  CLOTH. 

CLOTH  should  be  oiled  before  it  is  sheared,  and  afterwards^ 

before  it  goes  into  the  press,  or  when  finished  pressing.     Some 

prefer  doing  it  after  pressing,  because  they  say  the  oil  soils  the 
press  papers. 

For  this  purpose,  the  very  best  of  oil  is  required,  and,  as  little  i^ 
wanted,  the  price  of  the  article  should  be  only  a  secondary  conside- 
ration, the  quality  being  of  primary  importa\ice.  The  wool  after 
braying,  fulling,  cleansing  with  fullers'  earth,  &c.  will  be  very  dry^ 
and  oiling  not  only  softens  the  wool,  but  it  makes  the  cloth  wear 
better.  Enough  should  be  given  in  the  first  oiling  to  soften  the  nap 
sufficiently  to  make  it  shear  well  without  giving  the  cloth  a  greasj*^ 
feel,  and  the  oil  employed  should  have  no  rancid  smell.  That  which 
is  put  on'after  shearing,  is  intended  to  penetrate  the  nap  more  com- 
pletely, and  is  therefore  well  worked  in  with  the  brushes.  It  takes 
rather  more  than  half  a  pint  of  oil  for  a  piece  of  broad  cloth  of  forty- 
two  yards.  Neats  foot  oil,  when  it  can  be  obtained  pure,  is  pre-i 
ferred  for  this  purpose,  and  when  this  cannot  be  procured,  the  finest 
Florence  is  used,  such  as  has  little  or  no  smell. 

Many  persons  who  purchase  cloth,  appear  to  object  to  its  being 
oiled,  and,  when  this  is  done  with  a  rancid  material,  it  is  unques- 
tionably objectionable.     But  as  a  cloth  will  never  wear  so  well 
10* 


114 

without  oiling,  it  is  necessary  to  do  so,  and  in  order  to  avoid  g"iving^ 
oifence  to  the  olfactories  of  the  purchasers,  the  maker  should  always 
provide  a  scentless,  fat  oil,  and  take  care  that  the  cloth  be  not  so 
crowded  with  it  as  to  make  it  handle  greasy.  It  is  also  usual  to 
brush  on  the  wrong  side  a  small  quantity  of  some  essential  oil,  or 
essence  of  lavender. 

The  fine  white  looking  oil,  used  bj-  watch  makers  is  very  sweet 
when  new,  and  is  less  drying  than  any  other  kind.  It  is  said  to  be 
taken  from  some  part  of  the  head  of  the  porpoise.  Whether  this 
can  be  obtained  in  sufficient  quantity,  at  a  price  that  will  warrant 
the  manufacturer's  using  it,  I  cannot  say :  it  is,  however,  the  best 
oil  for  this  purpose. 


•PRESSING  AND  PACKING. 

THIS  last  and  very  simple  operation  is  seldom  well  performed 
lU  this  coimtry,  and  the  advantages  of  superior  pressing  is  but  little 
understood,  although  without  any  additional  expense,  the  face  is 
thereby  much  improved.  To  have  good  pressing,  the  papers  must 
be  thick,  very  firmly  put  together,  and  highly  hot  pressed  ;  the 
press  made  very  strong,  the  screw  large,  and  the  means  of  levering 
down  very  powerful ;  and  unless  all  these  means  are  previously 
supplied,  tlie  best  of  workmen  cannot  put  a  good  press  on  the  cloth. 
The  presses  I  have  mostly  seen  here  are  not  half  strong  enough  to 
bear  the  requisite  weight.  The  papers  are  usually  so  thin  as  not 
to  answer  the  intended  purpose.  They  should,  at  the  least,  be 
double,  if  not  treble,  the  substance.  The  screws  are  seldom  large 
enough  to  stand  as  much  pressure  as  is  required  for  good  work  ;  and 
the  levers  are  neither  long  enough,  nor  sufficiently  multiphed  to 
give  to  the  whole  as  much  weight  as  good  pressing  demands. 

I  need  not  describe  the  manner  of  folding  the  cloth  and  putting 
jt  into  the  press,  as  these  operations  are  too  weli  known  to  need 


115 

any  comment.  When  cloth  is  ready  for  the  press,  it  should  have 
been  previously  brushed  quite  clean,  and  all  down  have  been 
whisked  off. 

After  it  comes  from  the  press,  or  before  it  goes  in,  just  as  it  suite 
the  manag-er,  it  should  be  marked  on  the  head  end.  Fine  cloth  is 
marked  best  superfine^  and  when  very  fine,  impeinal  Saxony ;  it  is 
usual,  also,  to  add  the  number  at  one  corner,  and  the  name,  or 
initials,  of  the  maker  at  the  other.  To  do  this  correctly,  the  let- 
ters are  cut  out  on  a  strip  of  card  board,  and  marked  on  the  cloth 
uith  whiting-,  for  coloured  cloth,  or  with  powdered  starch. 

The  cloth  has  now  to  be  folded  up  and  packed  either  in  paper  or 
canvass,  when  it  is  fit  for  the  market. 


ON  DYING. 


THIS  IS  an  art  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  manufacturer, 
and  one  that  will  probably  be  the  last  in  being  brought  to  that  per- 
fection which  it  lias  attained  in  Europe.  The  works  hitherto  pub- 
lished on  the  subject,  are  by  no  means  calculated  to  improve  the 
art.  Bancrofts  is  altogether  a  theoretical  work,  highly  interest- 
ing to  the  dyer  who  has  acquired  a  knowledge  of  chemistry,  but 
is  entirely  useless  to  the  mere  practical  artist.  Doctor  Cooper's 
is  principally  a  collection  from  old  absolete  authors,  such  as  Hel- 
let,  Macquer,  &c.  whose  formula  have  been  long  exploded  as  too 
tedious  in  the  operation,  and  too  expensive  for  the  practice  oftlie 
present  age. 

I  shall  endeavour  to  throw  as  much  light  on  the  subject  as  the 
experience  of  twenty  years  will  admit  of.  My  knowledge  in  wool- 
len dying  has  been  altogether  the  result  of  personal  practice,  hav- 
ing been  brought  up  to  the  business  from  my  infancy,  and  the 
receipts  given  will  be  such  as  have  come  under  my  own  immediate 


116 

Dottoe,  with  the  exception  of  some  few  wool  colours,  lately  obtainexi 
from  my  En^ish  connections.  Those  for  silk  dying  were  given 
bT  a  celebrated  London  silk  dyer,  and  the  cotton  receipts  were 
obtained  from  a  first  rate  Maucliesler  cotton  dyer. 

I  shall  begin  by  explaining  those  impediments  incidental  to  a 
new  country,  just  commencing  the  business,  which  have  a  ten- 
dency to  retard  the  progress  of  the  art,  and  which,  when  under- 
stood, may  be  easily  removed.  I  shall  then  treat  of  the  mordants, 
and  dying  drugs  used  in  England,  and  point  out  as  I  go  along, 
which  of  these  are  necessary  to  be  employed  by  American  dyers. 
I  shall  then  endeavour  to  describe  such  native  dye  wares,  as  may 
be  advantageously  used  by  the  artists  of  this  country.  The  last 
and  primary  object  will  be  the  giving  for  every  colour,  such  re- 
ceipts as  have  been  the  production  of  my  own  and  my  brother's 
practice. 

The  impediments  in  the  way  of  our  dyers,  consist  in  the  valua- 
bleness  of  the  water,  the  itinerancy  of  tlie  dyers,  and  for  want  of 
the  goods  dyed  being  properly  cleansed. 


ON  THE  EFFECTS  WHICH  WATER  HAS  ON  DYING. 

WHENEVER  this  subject  has  been  mentioned  by  theoretical 
writers,  it  has  been  but  briefly  noticed,  as  a  subject  of  minor  con- 
sequence,   and  iheir  opinions  have  been  uniformly  erroneous. 

I  had  no  conception  when  I  left  England,  that  water  could  have 
had  so  material  an  effect  in  the  production  of  colour,  as  I  have 
since  found  it  to  possess.  I  have  practiced  the  art  in  this  country 
in  four  stales,  and  have  found  that  given  proportions  of  the  same  de- 
scription of  ingretlients,  would  not  produce  the  same  colour  in  any 
two ;  there  would  in  each,  be  a  considerable  variation  in  the  hue 
uid  bodv  of  the  colour.    4  shall  endeavour  to  draw  such  inferen- 


117 

c6s  from  the  facts  that  have  been  developed  during  my  practice  in 
both  countries,  as  will  carry  conviction  to  every  unprejudiced 
mind ;  and  I  humbly  hope  my  opinion  will  be  entitled  to  that  con- 
srideration  which  the  importance  of  the  subject  demands. 

In  a  conversation  I  lately  had  with  one  of  the  Messrs.  Haightg, 
carpet  manufacturers  of  this  city,  I  was  much  pleased  to  find  that 
his  opinion  on  the  effects  of  water,  corresponded  with  mine  in 
every  particular.  It  was  gratifying  to  have  this  opinion  sanc- 
tioned by  a  gentleman  possessing  so  much  practical  and  theoreti- 
cal knowledge,  as  it  is  at  variance  with  all  who  have  ever  before 
written  on  the  subject. 

An  idea  has  been  handed  down  from  the  earliest  writers,  and 
reiterated  by  every  one  to  the  present  day,  that  none  but  soft  wa- 
ter is  fit  to  be  used  in  dying.  They  say  that  "  if  the  water  meant 
to  be  employed,  be  hard,  and  not  fit  for  washing,  or  curdles  soap, 
it  is  not  fit  for  dying  light  colours."  Although  this  idea  has  been 
taken  for  granted  by  every  author,  and  been  as  generally  received 
by  the  most  intelligent  practical  dyers,  yet  it  is  altogether  erro- 
neous ;  and  I  will  venture  to  assert,  that  spring  water  free  frona 
metallic  oxids,  and  marine  salts,  is,  however  hard,  better  calcula- 
ted for  dying,  than  any  larger  stream  having  a  distant  source,  how- 
ever soft. 

When  1  left  England,  I  was  impressed  with  the  prevailing  notion 
that  none  but  soft  water  could  be  used  for  djing.  It  was  the 
opinion  of  my  father,  and  his  predecessors  in  the  same  business, 
who  have  been  eminent  dyers  for  more  than  a  century;  and  this 
in  direct  opposition  to  their  own  daily  practice ;  for  they  had  all 
this  time  been  making  use  of  spring-  water,  that  was  very  hard, 
would  curdle  soap,  and  was  unfit  for  washing,  in  preference  to  wa- 
ter from  a  fine  mill  stream,  that  ran  between  the  dje-houses,  and 
was  remarkably  soft.  And  I  am  convinced  they  have  owed  their 
celebrity,  purely  to  this  circumstance.  My  practice  in  America 
lra§  convinced  me  of  this  important  fact,  that  any  water,  with  the 


118 

exceptions  before  mentioned,  may  be  used  successfully  by  the 
dyer,  with  one  proviso — that  it  is  always  in  the  same  state.  Wa- 
ter that  is  variable  in  its  property,  can  never  be  used  with  any  pros- 
pect of  success  :  it  is  on  this  account  that  springs  are  better  cal- 
culated for  the  purpose  than  mill-streams. 

That  river  water  is  ever  varying,  is  too  obvious  to  be  doubted. 
After  much  rain,  by  far  the  greater  part  will  be  rain  water — in  a 
dry  season  it  will  be  altogether  the  produce  of  springs,  and  the 
shades  of  difference  will  vary  almost  daily.  Can  it  be  expected 
that  a  medium  ever  variable  should  be  calculated  to  produce  certain 
and  invariable  results  ?  The  dyer  who  uses  river  water  (excepting 
in  certain  cases  which  will  hereafter  be  mentioned)  must,  there- 
fore, be  subject  to  Continual  disappointment,  and  probably  without 
the  least  suspicion  of  the  cause.  He  will  go  blundering  along  for 
years  in  the  dark,  sometimes  much  to  his  satisfaction,  at  other  times 
deceived  in  the  expected  results,  he  will  blame  the  dye-wares ; 
will  expect  they  have  been  adulterated  by  the  dealer,  or  will  charge 
his  workmen  with  carelesness  and  neglect ;  any  and  every  tiling 
will  be  suspected  rather  than  the  true  cause. 

Let  every  American  dyer,  that  is  stationary,  contrive  some  mode 
(if  obtaining  water  that  shall  always  be  in  the  same  state,  and  I  will 
venture  to  predict  they  will  soon  become  as  eminent  as  those  of 
any  other  country.  This  has  already  been  done  by  Messrs.  Ilaights 
of  New- York,  and  the  result,  whilst  it  affords  an  example  to  all 
others,  reflect  infinite  credit  on  themselves.  I  have  never  s6eu  a 
dying  establishment  better  systematised,  or  more  happily  contrived 
to  answer  every  purpose  than  theirs.  Their  plan  for  collecting 
water  and  the  modes  contrived  to  have  it  always  in  the  same  state, 
are  so  masterly,  and  so  consonant  with  the  opinion  I  have  been 
advocating,  that  I  cannot  elucidate  the  sjubject  better  than  by  giv- 
ing a  description  of  this  part  of  their  establishment,  and  the  rea- 
son why  they  were  compelled  to  adopt  it. 

These  gentlemen  are  carpet  manufacturers,  and  their  djing  j^ 


11^ 

done  altogether  in  the  yarn.  When  they  first  began  their  busi- 
ness, they  were  much  plagued  by  the  uncertainty  attendant  on 
their  colouring.  To  obviate  this  difficulty  was  necessary  to  their 
success,  and  they  considered  the  variableness  of  the  water  as  the 
principal  cause.  The  Manhattan  water  which  they  use,  is  pump- 
ed from  springs,  yet  it  was  found  to  be  variable,  chiefly  owing  to 
its  containing  at  times  an  unusual  portion  of  marine  salts.  To  en- 
sure a  regular  supply,  uniformly  the  same,  they  adopted  the  foUow- 
ing  mode :  the  water  is  first  received  in  a  large,  open,  oblong  reser- 
voir, where  it  is  exposed  to  the  atmosphere,  and  permitted  to  de- 
posit its  impurities :  it  is  drawn  off  from  tliis  to  a  second  reservoir, 
lying  under  the  other,  which  is  closely  covered.  The  pipe  that 
conveys  the  water  from  the  first  reservoir,  is  placed  nine  inches 
above  the  bottom,  leaving  room  below  it  for  the  sediment  to  col- 
lect. Of  course,  none  of  the  settled  impurities  can  be  drawn 
from  the  first  to  the  second.  It  is  pumped  from  the  second  to  a 
third,  which  is  placed  over  the  dye-house,  and  sixteen  feet  above 
the  lower  one.  The  piimp  is  so  fixed  as  not  to  draw  off,  or  disturb 
tlie  water  lying  within  nine  inches  of  the  b(A:om,  and  it  is  drawn 
for  use  from  the  upper  receiver,  with  the  same  precaution  not  to 
disturb  the  sediment.  The  reservoirs  are  cleaned  periodically ;  by 
these  means  they  have  been  able  to  produce  every  colour,  except- 
ing madder  red,  with  the  utmost  certainty. 

These  precautions  are  not  necessary  in  the  country,  when  ac- 
cess can  be  had  to  springs  ;  and  if  river  water  were  conveyed  into 
ponds,  seperated  by  means  of  sluices  from  the  main  stream,  suffi- 
ciently large  to  hold  enough  for  two  or  three  weeks  consumptiouj 
and  drawn  ofi"  for  use  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  from  the  bottom, 
every  impediment  to  the  success  of  the  dyer,  arrising  from  the 
uncertain  state  of  the  water  would  be  obviated.  Such  a  pond 
would  require  to  be  cleansed  once  a  year,  and  the  sediment  would 
be  worth  as  much  for  manure,  as  the  expense  of  cleansing. 

In  scouring  wool,  the  water  used  in  the  furnace  should  be  soft, 
afterwards  for  washing,  hard  water  is  to  be  preferred.     Kain  or 


120 

i;irer  water  is  the  best  for  one  operation,  and  spring  water  for  tlie 
other.  The  manner  in  which  this  operates,  is  the  same  as  in  rins- 
ing- of  clothes  after  washing  :  every  washer  woman  is  aware,  that 
she  cannot  get  all  tlie  soponaceous  filth  out  of  her  linen,  unless 
tUey  are  ultimately  rinsed  through  hard  water.  In  the  simple 
operation  of  washing  the  hands  with  soap,  we  find  how  difficult  it 
is  to  cleanse  them  from  it  when  soft  water  is  used,  and  how  readily 
it  will  wash  off  in  hard. 

In  the  dying  of  blue  colours,  soft  water  should  be  used  in  the  vats. 
This  exception  is  not  on  account  of  the  colour,  it  is  merely  a  sav- 
ing of  vegetable  ferments.  Hard  water  is  not  so  favourable  in  pro- 
moting fermentation,  as  soft  is,  and  when  used  in  the  blue  vat,  a 
greater  than  the  usual  quantity  of  bran  and  madder  must  be  em- 
ployed, or  the  fermentation  will  not  be  sufficiently  vigorous.  Hard 
water  is  best  for  washing  wool  after  it  has  been  coloured ;  it  is 
preferable  also  for  washing  cloth  after  braying,  and  fulling ;  and 
where  a  convenient  supply  of  spring  water  can  be  obtained  at  an 
easy  expense,  it  should  be  led  into  convenient  receptacles,  from 
whence  it  can  be  drawn  tvhen  wanted. 

There  is  no  colour  in  which  water  appears  to  have  so  much  effect 
as  in  black.  In  the  county  of  Gloucestershire,  England,  where 
the  dyers  are  celebrated  for  this  colour,  the  water  holds  in  solution 
a  considerable  quantity  of  lime  stone  ;  and  the  same  receipts  used 
there,  when  employed  in  the  adjoining  county  of  Wilts,  where  the 
water  is  impregnated  with  an  argillaceous  matter,  will  not  pro- 
duce any  thing  like  the  same  colour ;  and  there  is  also  a  sensible 
difference  in  the  colour,  in  the  same  county,  from  any  givoi  re- 
ceipt when  used  in  different  places,  and  even  in  various  parts  of 
the  same  stream;  for  the  effect  is  not  the  same  when  used  near 
the  source  of  a  river,  as  it  is  at  a  greater  distance  from  it.  I 
brought  three  different  receipts  with  me  from  England,  two  years 
since,  one  from  each  of  the  three  best  black  dyers  in  the  county  of 
Glouoestershire,  and  only  one  of  the  three  wQuld  produce  a  tolera- 


121 

ble  colour  with  the  water  of  a  mill  stream  in  New- Jersey.  In 
the  years  1805  and  1806,  I  became  celebrated  in  the  county  before 
mentioned,  for  dying-  a  fine  black,  and  sold  the  receipt  and  busi- 
ness when  I  left,  for  three  hundred  pounds  Stirling :  this  receipt  I 
also  tried  in  Jersey,  and  it  produced  a  better  colour  than  either  of 
the  others,  but  by  no  means  equal  to  that  which  I  obtained  from  it 
in  England.  The  principle  colouring-  matter  in  black,  is  obtained 
from  logwood,  which  appears  to  work  browner  in  any  otlier  than 
lime  stone  water,  and  does  not  produce  so  much  body. 

It  was  my  intention  when  I  commenced  this  work,  to  avoid  as 
much  as  possible,  all  theoretical  explanations  as  being  useles  to 
the  mere  practical  artist,  and  because  this  has  been  already  per- 
formed by  abler  writers ;  but  as  the  opinion  given,  has  never  be- 
fore been  noticed,  and  involves  consequences  of  greater  import- 
ance to  the  art,  I  shall  be  induced  to  deviate  from  my  original  de- 
sign, in  attempting  to  explain  the  principle  on  which  it  operates, 
that  scientific  men  as  well  as  the  mere  artist  may  form  an  opinion 
on  the  subject.  I  do  not  presume  to  suppose  that  the  theory  I 
shall  offer  will  be  perfectly  correct,  or  will  include  all  its  ramifi- 
cations. If  1  can  give  a  clue  that  will  enable  other  more  scien- 
tific men  to  take  up  the  subject,  and  elucidate  it  with  their  usual 
perspicuity,  it  will,  I  humbly  hope,  be  themeans  of  throwing  some 
additional  light  on  this  intricate  and  mysterious  art 

I  have  said  that  the  waters  in  the  county  of  Gloucester,  where 
they  are  more  celebrated  for  dying  black,  than  in  any  other  part 
of  England,  holds  carbonate  of  lime  in  solution.  After  the  cloth 
has  been  boiled  with  the  dying  wares,  two  or  three  hours  for  black, 
sulphate  of  iron  and  sulphate  of  copper  are  added,  for  the  purpose 
of  saddening  the  colour,  as  soon  as  these  are  thrown  into  the  li- 
quor there,  a  violent  effervescence  is  produced  :  the  carbonic  acid 
gas  is  separated  from  the  carbonate  of  lime,  by  the  lime  combining 
with  the  acids  of  the  salts,  and  there  remains  in  the  liquor  a  sul- 
phate of  lime,  an  oxid  of  iron  and  copper,  a  sulphate  of  iron  and  a 
sulphate  of  copper.     When  colours  are  done  in  water  containing 

11 


122 

&o  liigie,  nor  aoj  otiber  carbooixted  alkaltne  cartk,  tlie  salts  in  tbt 

}ii|«or  win  remaia  ia  solntioii  id  ihe  szsoe  componods  as  before 

tflbey  were  added  to  it.    Ia  fte  one  ht^ptar  Ih&iL,  vre  t>ball  hs^xe  ir 
sotefioB 

Sai^pkate  of  iron,  1  f 

Sniphafp  of  ot^pper,  fin  the  odier  1  Solpbate  of  iron, 

So^ibafie  of  liaie,  /      oniT.        j  Sulphate  of  copper- 

OxbI  <if  inn  and  coppra-,  j  f 

Cvcrf  cJhemiht  most  knoir  tiiat  a  maienal  diference  m  lue  colour 

win  be  tike  rearit  of  flaese  two  oompoiaiids.     The  sulphate  of  lime 

ia  ttihe  first  will  raise  the  bloe  of  t3ae  logwood^  and  thereby  increase 

The  hodj  amdL  iotraisitf^  of  tbe  ookmr  an  the  goods  d jed.     I  hay  e 

nade  two  or  fliive  aftwHui^k  to  subsdiote  caustic,  and  sub-carbo- 

aated  linie-watar,  in  ^aceof  tbe  oainral;  hariog  previously  in- 

iened  that  a  lawihir  ^»ct  would  be  produced  bj  it.     I  found  i 

racRed  tlie  ooftoor  of  the  lujgwood,  yet  for  want  of  sufficient  expe- 

lienoe  la  its  «se  to  fix.  a  ^atfer  standard,  I  hare  never  been  able, 

eacoe^aJELy,  to  ioiitate  the  iia;tiiral  water.     I  have  discovered, 

bowerex-;,  that  whea  too  nm^  was  ased,  it  had  an  injurious  efeci 

Mairii^  the  logwood  tmctue  of  a  pale  Pmssian  blue  colour. 

Tlie  most  i^oitaat  iafereaoe  to  be  drawn  from  these  facts,  i^ 
Hat  dyers  oqgbt  oerer  ta  expect  that  receipts,  obiaioed  from  other 
eoootries,  or  fixm  oSber  parts  of  tiieir  own,  ^ouM  prodace  exact- 
ly the  sane  oolosrs  wb»i  med  by  theso,  as  they  have  done  vrith 
olheis.  And  ako,  that  (br  dyen  to  become  emineait,  they  must  be 
rtatiooary,  they  m^t  comtiaae  to  ^^ctise  ia  one  atuation,  an  J 
wiSk  oaie  kiod  of  water,  daat  by  these  meaxis  alone,  can  they  he 
aMe  to  obtain  pniectioa  in  the  art.  It  is,  nevertheless,  useful  t** 
become  scgmiatBd  with  the  practioe of  odms,  and  more  part.'- 
..iiijr  -sTiiu  the  science  of  dienMEtry,  on  wlacfa  the  art  is  founc. ;. , 
!biat  tthfey  most  aai.  implicitly  reAj  oa  any  &in^  but  their  own  prac- 
.'nrt9e.  Bt  fcither  proves,  that  dyers  who  are  continual] v  roving-. 
-iiH  haopt  paitlj  to  leara  ffa^  bosiness  over  ag-ain  at  every  new 

rije  ihferesace  in  the  effects  produced,  between  dying  from  anj 


-  123 

receipt  in  one  place  and  in  another,  may,  and  do  often  arise  from 
other  causes  beside  the  variableness  of  the  water ;  see  scouring 
wool,  cloth,  &c. 

I  hope  what  I  have  advanced  on  this  subject,  will  be  sufficient 
to  convince  those  who  mav  be  interested,  tliat  almost  any  water  is 
calculated  for  dying,  provided  the  supply  be  regular,  and  always 
in  the  same  state  ;  and  that  water,  however  soft,  that  is  subject  to 
alterations  from  season  and  rain,  or  any  other  cause,  is  not  fit  &r 
he  purpose. 


ON  THE  BAD  EFFECT  ARISING  FROM  THE  ITINIi- 
RANGY  OF  THE  DYERS. 

THE  itinerant  habits  of  the  dyers  of  this  country,  is  much 
against  their  arriving  at  any  considerable  degree  of  perfection. 
In  fact,  the  manner  in  which  it  is  carried  on  at  the  factories,  is 
altogether  highly  detrimental  to  the  progress  of  the  art,  injurious 
to  the  interest  of  the  manufacturer,  and  in  a  great  measure,  the 
cause  of  the  itinerancy  of  the  workmen.  Perfection  in  dying,  is 
only  to  be  obtained  by  local  practice.  When  a  dyer  remains  in 
one  situation  where  he  can  obtain  such  dye-wares  as  he  may  want, 
jirepared  uniformly  in  the  same  way,  and  where  the  water  is  al- 
ways in  the  same  state,  he  will  gradually  acquire  the  art  of  pro- 
ducing new  colours,  and  new  shades  of  colour;  and  will  attain  a 
precision  in  making  them,  which  an  itinerant  never  can  equal. 

In  England,  the  colouring  is  generally  performed  by  public  dy- 
ers, who  attend  personally  to  the  business :  they  employ  foremen  as 
managers,  who  are  usually  taken  from  among  the  common  work- 
men. When  the  owner  of  a  dying  establishment  perceives  in 
any  of  his  men  a  more  than  ordinary  capacity,  and  at  the  same 
time,  approves  of  his  general  conduct,  he  will  propose,  if  he  wants 
a  foreman,  to  instruct  him  in  the  business.     When  this  is  mutually 


124 

agreed  npon,  the  man  is  bonnd  for  a  term  of  years,  say  fifty,  or 
sixty,  on  conditions  subject  to  a  heavy  penalty,  to  senre  hb  em- 
ployer faithfully  during  the  stipulated  period,  and  nerer  to  make 
known  to  any  other  person  the  secrets  communicated  to  him,  or 
which  he  may  attain  during  his  practice.  As  a  compensation  for 
losing  his  liberty,  he  generally  has  doable  wages  secured  to  him, 
and  this  is  mostly  advanced  as  his  services  become  valuable. 
These  dviag  establishments  are  usually  situated  near  the  centre  of 
a  manufacturing  district,  and  is  an  heir-loom  in  the  family,  being 
conveyed  from  father  to  son  for  several  generations.  The  busi- 
ness gradually  prepresses  in  extent  and  perfection  far  beyond  what 
may  be  conceived  of  in  this  country.  When  wool  or  cloth  is 
sent  to  a  public  dyer,  patterns  are  sent  with  it.  and  it  must  be  co- 
loured so  exactly,  that  when  finished,  the  manufacturer  cannot 
perceive  the  least  shade  of  difierence  between  it  and  the  patterns 
sent.  It  often  happens  that  more  than  one  hundred  patterns  wiU 
be  received  in  one  day,  all  varying  in  colour ;  and  it  may  readily 
be  supp(Ked  that  a  dyer  who  can  at  one  glance  arrange,  and  after- 
wards colour  them  exactly  to  pattern,  must  kave  attained  consider- 
able perfection  in  the  business. 

My  object  in  mentioning  these  facts,  is  cot  merely  to  show  what 
the  dyers  are  capable  of  doing  in  England ;  but  to  prove  that  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  generally  carried  on  in  this  countiy,  has  a 
tendency  to  retard  the  progress  of  the  art. 

Every  woollen  manufacturer  here,  whether  small  or  laig«,  em- 
ploys a  bo^  dyer.  These  seldom  remain  in  the  same  situation 
more  than  one  or  two  years,  and  more  frequently  a  much  shorter 
period.  This  year  they  will  be  employed  in  tlje  district  of  Maine, 
or  state  of  Mass,  the  next  in  Ohio,  or  Kentucky ;  in  some  places 
they  succeed  to  the  extent  of  their  judgment,  in  others  not :  but 
theyall  profess  to  be  very  knowing  in  their  business,  and  those  just 
out  of  their  apprenticeship,  baring  served  one  year,  profess  to 
know  the  most.  Tiiis  is  not  the  way  by  which  perfection  in  the 
art  is  to  be  obtained,  nor  could  the  best  European  dyer,  under  the 


125 

same  circumstances,  do  any  better  than  the  mere  novice,  probably 
not  30  well,  for  in  each  factory,  he  would  have  to  contend  with  a 
mass  of  difficulties  quite  foreign  to  him  ;  the  dying  wares  would  be 
of  different  kinds,  and  in  different  states  of  preparation ;  the  woad, 
f  he  had  to  colour  blue,  would  be  in  a  different  state,  and  very 
inferior  to  what  he  has  been  accustomed  to  use ;  the  lime  employed 
would  be  either  too  weak  or  too  strong ;  the  wool  would  not  be 
well  scoured  ;  the  cloth  would  be  sent  to  the  dye-house  full  of 
grease  ;  the  furnaces  would  be  badly  set,  so  as  not  to  boil  when 
necessary,  and  the  cloth,  when  coloured,  would  be  scoured  with 
urine  or  soap,  instead  of  fullers'  earth,  and  then,  perhaps,  not 
more  than  half  scoured.  All  these,  and  many  other  impediments, 
he  would  have  to  contend  with,  and  without  the  power  to  remedy 
the  least  evil.  Should  he  complain,  lie  is  said  not  to  understand 
his  business ;  and  what  with  taunts  on  the  one  hand,  and  real  diffi- 
culties on  the  other,  he  resigns  all  pretensions  to  the  business,  and 
follows  something  else ;  or  he  gives  into  the  common  mode  of  the 
country,  and  settles  down  as  a  plain  edge-dyer.  This  is  no  fanci- 
ful picture,  for  two  or  three  such  instances  have  come  under  my 
notice. 

One  of  two  things  must  take  place  before  the  art  of  dying  caii 
be  brought  to  any  considerable  degree  of  perfection  in  this  coun- 
try. Either  the  managers  must  learn  to  be  their  own  dyers,  and 
devote  their  time  and  attention  to  it,  or  it  must  be  done  at  a  com- 
mon dyehouse,  where  work  shall  be  taken  in  as  in  England.  The 
latier  '5rould  certainly  be  the  preferable  plan,  and  to  this  it  will 
soon^  or  later  arrive.  A  public  dyer  could  afford  to  do  the  work 
at  a  cheaper  rate  than  it  can  be  done  in  so  many  small  establish- 
Jiients — he  could  do  the  work  of  one  hundred  manufacturies,  and 
would  be  satisfied  with  a  profit  of  five  or  six  thousand  dollars  a 
year  ;  and  this  will  be  found  to  be  only  a  small  portion  of  what  is 
now' paid  by  that  number  for  boss  workmen.  Supposing  each 
boss  to  receive  only  eight  dollars  a  week,  the  aggregate  paid  by 
one  hundred  manufacturers  will  be  upwards  of  forty  thousand 
dollars  per  annum,  and  even  in  this  one  item  thev  would,  by  em- 
11* 


126 

ploying  a  public  dyer,  make  an  annual  saving  of  thirty-four  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  same  number  of  manufacturers  would  have  to 
expend  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  the  plant 
for  dye  houses,  furnaces,  vats,  &c.  which  would  be  altogether  sav- 
ed by  them.  I  do  not  pretend  to  assert  that  this  system  could  be 
successfully  adopted  at  the  present  time,  as  I  cannot  see  where 
sufficient  work  could  be  collected  from  ;  but  a  few  years  will  ne- 
cessarily bring  it  about.  And  it  is  probable  that  if  a  dye  house 
should  even  now  be  established,  in  a  central  situation,  purposely 
for  dying  of  wool  and  woollen  cloth,  with  proper  conveniences  for 
scouring  and  wasliing,  fulling,  finishing  &;c.  where  the  work 
could  be  executed  in  a  perfect  and  masterly  manner,  with  suffi- 
cient capital  to  contend  against  old  prejudices ;  it  would  soon  be 
felt  to  be  a  great  relief  to  the  manufacturer,  and  sufficient  employ- 
ment might  be  found  to  answer  the  purpose  of  the  capitalist. 

The  more  a  business  is  divided,  the  better  and  cheaper  it  can 
be  performed.  In  England  the  wool  sorting,  the  dying,  the  list 
making  and  the  weaving,  are  all  distinct  concerns,  separate  from 
the  factories.  The  manufacturers  know  where  to  purchase  the 
one  ready  prepared,  and  have  the  otheis  well  executed  ;  but  they 
have  no  capital  to  expend  on  those  branches  ;  they  are  not 
plagued  by  employing  workmen  in  them  ;  and  they  never  feel 
any  anxiety  about  the  result  :  all  that  is  necessary,  is  for  them  to 
have  a  good  judgment  in  wool,  and  in  the  colours,  and  weaving. 
In  this  countr}'  every  thing  is  performed  within  the  walls  of  a  fac- 
tory, and  a  curious  anomaly  is  thereby  produced  ;  for  where  there 
is  the  least  capital,  and  almost  a  total  want  of  judgment,  there  the 
greatest  portion  of  cloth  is  required,  and  the  managers  are  plagued 
with  more  branches,  and  a  greater  variety  of  workmen. 


127 


ON  CLEANING  CLOTH  FOR  DYING,  AND  THE  WASH- 
ING OF  WOOL  AND  CLEANING  THE  CLOTH  AFTER 
DYING. 

MANY  of  tLe  minor  operations  in  a  factoryj  and  in  dvin^, 
which  people  who  are  not  well  versed  in  the  business  are  apt  to 
neg-lect,  as  being  of  little  or  no  consequence,  have  an  important 
bearing-  on  the  well  being  of  the  whole.  Such  are  the  operations 
I  am  now  about  to  describe?,  and  I  am  sorry  to  have  occasion  to 
observe  that  they  are  too  generally  neglected  in  this  country.  I 
have  before  remarked,  and  which  cannot  be  too  often  repeated, 
that  cleaning  the  wool  and  cloth  well  from  all  kind  of  extraneous 
matter  previous  to  the  dying,  is  a  necessary  preliminary  to  the 
pi*oduction  of  good  colours  ;  and  I  must  add,  that  to  clean  them 
well  from  the  dye  afterwads,  is  no  less  necessary  :  when  in  wool  for 
the  benefit  of  carding,  spinning  and  weaving  ;  and  when  in  cloth 
for  the  credit  of  the  colours. 

When  wool  has  been  d}  ed,  the  light  colours  require  only  to  be 
well  washed  in  the  swilling  basket,  tlie  darker  colours,  and  par- 
ticularly blue,  should  be  fii-st  washed  as  directed. for  the  light  ones, 
then  soaked  six  hours,  or  more,  in  milk  warm  water,  with  as 
much  oil  of  vitriol  in  it  as  will  give  to  the  liquor  a  slightly  sour 
taste,  and  then  it  requires  a  second  washing.  Many  dyers  and 
manufacturers  will  be  ready  to  say  this  is  a  troublesome  and  ex- 
pensive operation  ;  I  grant  it;  but  were  they  once  to  try  it,  and 
have  it  done  faitlifully,  they  would  find  this  trouble  and  expense 
more  than  trebly  compensated  for  in  the  subsequent  operations. 
The  wool  would  not  require  so  much  oilj  it  would  card  and  spin 
better,  would  not  be  so  liable  to  break  in  weaving,  and  the  cloth 
would  be  worth  five  per  cent,  more  when  finished. 

All  the  colours  given  to  cloth,  may  be  cleaned  by  steaming,  or 
beating  with  sticks,  from  a  bridge  over  a  running  stream,  except- 
ing blue  and  black,  which  require  to  be  scoured  in  a  fulling  mill. 


128 

Each  of  these  operations  I  shall  describe,  for  unless  the  dyer  and 
manufacturer  have  conreniences  suitable  to  the  well  performance 
of  an  operation,  or  is  ignorant  of  what  is  neccs^aroy  to  be  perform- 
ed, they  cannot  expect  to  have  it  successfully  executed.  I  have 
been  much  surprised  that  in  works  written  on  the  subject  of  dy- 
ing, the  process  for  cleaning-  white  and  coloured  wool,  and  cloth, 
should  be  passed  over  as  operations  of  no  consequence.  It  proves 
what  every  practical  artist  must  be  well  aware  of,  that  a  mere 
theoretical  writer  on  the  arts  and  manufactures,  however  splendid 
may  be  his  literary  talent,  is  not  calculated  to  throw  much  light 
on  the  minutiae  of  these  subjects,  and  we  all  know  that  it  is  a 
combinatiGn  of  little  things  that  constitutes  a  whole. 

The  apparatus  used  for  streaming,  is  a  bridge  six  feet  wide,  and 
at  least  ten  feet  long,  which  is  placed  across  a  rapid  stream,  where 
the  water  is  not  less  than  eighteen  inches  deep.  About  sixteen 
feet  below  the  bridge,  a  windlass  is  placed  parallel  with  it,  and  ele- 
vated about  sixteen  inches  above  its  level.  At  one  end  of  the 
windlass,  is  fixed  a  puUy,  three  inches  thick,  and  one  foot  three 
inches  diameter ;  around  this,  holes  are  bored  to  place  in  four  or 
or  five  stout  handles,  which  project  twelve  inches  from  the  solid 
pully,  and  a  boy  works  the  windlass  by  means  of  these  handles. 
The  cloth,  intended  to  be  cleaned,  is  carried  to  the  bridge  on  a 
slatted  hand-barrow,  called  a  scallet,  and  to  the  head  end  of  the 
cloth  is  fastened,  by  means  of  a  running  noose,  some  large  twine 
permanently  secured  at  the  other  end  to  the  centre  of  the  wind- 
lass. The  two  men  who  carry  the  hand-barrow,  having  secured 
the  twine  on  the  cloth,  throw  the  end  to  which  it  has  been  fasten- 
ed, on  the  water,  placing  each  a  foot  on  the  list  next  to  hira,  whilst 
the  boy  strains  that  part  between  the  windlass  and  the  bridge  so 
as  to  keep  it  fairly  on  the  surface  of  the  stream  ;  the  two  men 
are  prepared  with  each  a  long  pole,  large  and  smootli  at  the  lower 
end,  to  prevept  their  damaging  the  cloth,  with  which  they  strike 
it,  in  rather  a  slanting  direction,  and  keep  so  beating  till  the  water 
runs  clear  from  it;  they  then  lift  up  their  feet  to  let  another 
length    upon  the   water,    and  the  boy  continues   to   wind  up. 


129 

always  keeping  it  at.  a  proper  strain  until  the  whole  is  off  the 
hand-barrow.  The  cloth  is  then  drawn  back  again.  For  dark 
colours,  this  operation  is  repeated  two,  three  and  even  four  times, 
or  until  the  colour  will  not  stain  white  paper.  The  men  who  work 
it,  have  wooden  soles  on  their  shoes  an  inch  thick,  the  upper  lea- 
thers being  put  on  with  tacks  ;  but  no.  iron  or  any  other  metal  is 
permitted  to  be  on  the  soles.  They  have  also  leather  coverings  to 
tie  round  their  legs  from  their  shoes  to  a  little  above  their  knees, 
to  protect  them  from  the  splashings  of  the  water.  In  this  way  all 
the  colours,  excepting  blue  and  black,  are  cleaned,  and  so  well  are 
they  done,  that  the  darkest  brown,  or  the  blackest  bottle  green, 
will  not  stain  the  whitest  linen.  In  towns  where  access  cannot 
be  had  to  streams  of  water,  they  fill  backs  with  water  from  pipes, 
and  beat  and  rinse  the  cloth  in  it ;  but  this  is  not  so  effectual  as 
the  plan  I  have  described. 

Blue  ajid  black  cloth  is  also  streamed  before  it  is  taken  to  the 
fulling-mill,  but  never  on  the  same  bridge  where  other  colours  are 
worked.  They  are  then  taken  to  tlie  fulling-mill  and  washed  un- 
der the  hammers,  until  the  water  runs  clear  from  them,  when  they 
are  taken  out  of  the  stocks,  and  hung  up  on  long,  lr.rge'  wooden 
pegs  placed  in  the  walls  of  the  mill-house  for  the  purpose,  where 
they  are  left  to  drain  till  the  day  following.  They  are  then  taken 
down,  spread  open,  and  wet  fullers'  earth  thrown  on  all  over  the 
face ;  the  lists  are  now  t]irow\  together,  and  tliey  are  carefully 
placed  in  the  fulling-mill,  which  is  plugged  up,  and  the  hammers 
let  down,  and  permitted  to  play  on  the  cloth,  without  water,  for 
half  an  hour,  or  forty  minutes.  The  cloth  is  then  handed  out,  the 
lists  pulled  square,  the  earth  spread  even  on  the  cloth,  and  more 
earth  added,  if  necessar}^  The  cloth  is  then  put  again  into  the 
stocks,  and  tlie  hammers  suffered  to  play  upon  it  one  hour ;  after 
which,  a  small  quantity  of  water  islet  run  into  the  stocks,  not 
more  than  would  pass  through  a  large  wheaten  straw,  for  half  an 
hour,  in  order  that  the  earth  may  be  diluted  slowly,  and  by  de- 
grees. After  that,  the  cloth  is  once  more  handed  out,  the  lists 
gulled  square,  then  put  again  into  the  stocks,  and  the  plug  pulled 


130 

jt,  when  a  full  stream  of  water  is  introduced  till  it  be  perfccth 
clean.  During  tl»e  last  operation,  it  is  to  be,  from  time  to  time, 
handed  out  in  order  to  prevent  its  taking  a  wrong  position  in  the 
stocks,  and  being  torn.  It  is  better  after  the  cloth  has  been  finish- 
ed with  eartli  and  diluted  bj  admitting  tho  small  stream  of  water, 
to  take  it  out  of  the  fallers  and  put  it  into  a  poacher,  where  it 
may  be  washed  without  any  fear  of  damage.  This  may  be  done 
in  ail  washings. 

The  water  that  comes  c*t  of  the  stocks,  shows  whether  the 
cloth  is  clear,  for  that  which  runs  out,  should  be  equally  as  clear 
as  that  which  runs  in.  If  on  trying  the  cloth  you  perceive  it  still 
soils,  it  must  be  worked  with  earth  a  second  time.  Kiver  or  clear 
rain  vrater  is  the  best  to  mix  with  the  earth,  and  hard  water  for 
washing  it  out. 

To  prepare  cloth  for  dying,  it  must  be  worked  with  earth,  as  bc* 
fore  directed,  only  when  it  has  gone  the  first  half  boar  in  the 
stocks  a  small  stream  of  %rater  is  let  run  in  for  half  an  hour,  and 
then  a  full  stream  until  it  be  quite  clean.  The  handings  out  must 
be  observed  as  before  directed. 

Many  people  colour  their  blacks  after  fulling,  without  scouring 
with  earth ;  but  the  colours  will  not  be  so  good,  nor  will  they  clean 
so  Avell  afterwards,  because  there  jail  always  remain  a  portion  of 
soap  in  tlie  cloth,  which  washing  with  mere  water  will  not  detach 
from  it,  and  when  this  comes  into  the  black  liquor,  or  any  other 
dye,  the  soap  will  be  decomposed,  the  soda  will  combine  with  the 
acids,  and  tlie  grease  being  liberated,  will  produce  an  effect  e<joal 
to  the  colouring  of  greasy  cloth. 

Some  few  dyers  there  arc,  who  scour  wjiu  unue,  previous  todj- 
iQg,  which  they  imagine  gives  a  softness  to  tlie  cloth  and  improves 
the  colour.  For  the  advantage  of  those  who  wish  to  try  it,  I  shall 
describe  this  process,  although  I  have  never  been  able  to  discover 
any  sensible  difference. 


131 


SCOURING  WITH  URINE  PREVIOUS  TO  DYING. 

AT  the  time  you  fold  the  cloth  into  the  stocks,  pour  as  much  urine 
upoQ  it  as  is  necessary  to  wet  it,  and  cause  it  to  turn ;  the  hammers 
are  then  suffered  to  play  for  half  an  hour,  after  which  the  cloth  is 
handed  out,  and  its  lists  pulled  square.  The  handing  out  has  also 
for  its  object  to  spread  the  urine  even  on  the  cloth,  and  some  added 
on  places,  if  any  there  are,  where  urine  has  not  penetrated.  It  is 
put  again  into  the  stocks,  and  worked  for  another  half  an  hour;  a 
small  btream  of  water  is  then  introduced  into  the  stocks  during  forty 
minutes,  when  the  water  is  let  in  freely  till  it  is  perfectly  clean. 

When  cloth  is  dyed  in  the  flannel,  before  fulling  and  after  burl- 
ing, it  has  to  be  cleaned  with  earth  or  urine,  as  directed  for  fulled 
cloth. 

Another  method  of  scouring  blacks,  known  only  to  a  few  manu-. 
facturers  and  dyers.     It  is  the  process  pursued  by  the  celebrated 
Edward  Shepard,  Esqr.* 

First  wash  out  the  gross  filth,  then  scour  with  earth  as  before 
directed ;  after  which  hand  them  out  of  the  stocks,  pull  the  lists 
square,  and  spread  on  each  piece  of  forty  yards,  one  pound  of  dis- 
solved castile  soap,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  fuller's  earth,  put 
it  again  into  the  stocks,  and  let  the  hammers  play  on  it  for  one  hour, 
then  proceed,  as  before  mentioned,  and  wash  them  clean.  It  has 
now  to  be  taken  out  of  the  stocks  and  moued  two  courses,  (that  is, 
twelve  runnings  up  at  the  gig-mill  w  ith  dead  work)  then  returned 
into  the  stocks  and  washed  with  a  full  supply  of  water  till  clean ; 
in  this  last  operation,  a  great  discharge  of  colour  takes  place,  which 
the  mosing  appears  to  have  liberated.  Then  give  them  another 
course  at  the  gig-mill,  when  they  will  be  quite  clean  and  very  soft. 

It  is  to  be  observed,  that  castile  soap  is  preferable  to  any  otlier 
for,  being  made  of  olive  oil,  it  imparts  a  softness  to  the  cloth  whici 
soap  made,  with  common  fat  never  can  give.     The  best  manufa< 


132 

turers  in  the  west  of  England  use  none  but  this  soap  for  fulling,  or 
for  any  o<her  process  about  their  cloth.  It  is  made  by  Fry  of  Bris- 
tol, and  is  sold  ut  one  shilling  sterling,  or  twenty-two  cents  of  this 
currency  per  pound. 

Bullocks  gall  is  occasionally  used  to  clean  blacks,  when,  from 
any  cause,  such  as  the  grease  not  being  cleaned  out  in  the  braying, 
the  colours  do  not  score  well  in  the  usual  wav. 


ON  THE  MORDANTS  AND  DYING  DRUGS  USED  BY 
THE  DYERS  IN  ENGLAND,  ON  WOOL  AND  WOOL- 
LEN CLOTH. 

THE  mordants  used  there  are  allum,  cream,  and  crude  tartar, 
blue  vitriol,  verdigris,  copperas,  tin  liquors,  and  occasionally  the 
acids.  I  shall  include  tiie  mixture  of  oil  of  vitriol  and  indigo,  com- 
monly koown  by  the  name  of  chemick,  although  it  does  not  pro- 
perly belong  to  the  class  of  mordants. 

iVIocdants  are  used  to  fix  the  colouring  matter  on  the  goods  dyed 
and  unless  these  are  employed  with  discretion  the  colours  will  not; 
(with  some  few  exceptions)  be  permanent. 

A  much  greater  portion  of  mordant  is  used  in  dyiug  of  cloth  than 
in  colouring  of  wool ;  for  if  the  same  quantity  were  used  on  wool, 
it  would,  iu  the  greater  number  of  colours,  render  it  unfit  for  spin- 
ning, weaving,  and  fulling. 

Allum  is  used  more  generally,  and  in  much  greater  quantity,  than 
any  other  mordant,  yet  no  other  salt  has  so  great  a  tendency  to 
render  the  wool  harsh  and  unfit  for  working.  It  is  to  soften  the 
efiect  of  tha  allum,  to  give  additional  stability  to  the  colour,  as  well 
as  to  brighren  and  cliange  the  hue  given  by  the  dying  wares,  thcit 
cream  of  tartar  and  argol  are  used.     To  the  want  of  employing 


IOkJ 

t'liesc  sails  more  g-cucrally  in  this  country,  is  to  be  attributed  tiieif 
principal  deficiency  in  the  production  of  furnace  colour. 

Every  dyer  is  well  acquainted  with  cream  of  tartar.  It  is  the 
crude  tartar  in  a  purified  state,  which  is  too  expensive  to  be  em- 
ployed by  the  dyer  in  any  other  than  hi^h  priced,  delicate  and 
bright  colours,  such  as  scarlets,  auroras,  orang^es,  buffs,  &c.  &:c. 

As  arg-ol  or  crude  tartar  is  very  little  known  in  this  country,  it  ' 
will  be  necessary' to  describe  it.  It  is  the  lees  of  wine  in  its  natu- 
ral and  unpurified  state,  from  which  cream  of  tartar  is  made :  but 
this  last  is  much  too  dear  to  be  used  in  common  colours,  nor  does 
it  always  answer  so  g-ood  a  purpose,  for  argol,  independent  of  its 
operation  as  a  mordant,  produces  a  light  brown'  colour  from  the 
colouring  matter  of  the  wine  lees,  therefore  it  is  always  preferred 
for  dark  colours,  such  as  bottle  greens,  dark  browns,  blacks,  &c. 
&c.  There  is  a  great  range  in  the  quality  and  value  of  this  article, 
the  lowest  being  strongly  coloured,  having  a  dirty  looking  appear- 
ance, and  is  in  a  semi-pulverulent  form,  whilst  the  Itest  is  in  semi- 
transparent  crystals,  of  a  light  colour,  and  so  hard  as  to  require  the 
force  of  a  hammer  to  break  them.  The  latter,  when  prime,  is  worth 
nearly  as  much  as  purified  cream  of  tartar,  and  the__lowcst  quality, 
not  more  tlian  one  fourth  the  price :  the  value  of  intermediate 
samples  will  be  as  their  quality.  That  which  is  used  for  the  greater 
number  of  colours,  is  of  a  middling  quality,  and  when  the  lowest 
are  used,  it  is  particularly  njentioncd  in  the  receipts. 

When  the  crystals  of  blue  vitriol  have  the  least  tinge  of  green, 
they  are  not  good,  as  they  then  contain  more  or  less  of  iron,  and 
approximate  to  a  mixture  of  iron  and  copper  salts,  instead  of  being 
entirely  of  copper.  This  salt,  when  prime,  should  be  of  a  rich  blue 
colour,  the  crystals  large  and  dry. 

Verdigris  should  be  light  in  weight  for  its  bulk,  and  should  be  of 
a  light  blue  colour.     The  French  verdigris  is  considered  the  best. 

12 


134 

Copperas  varies  very  mnch  in  qnality,  some  bein  j  small  and  rus- 
ty, and  otliers  being  in  larg-^  cnrstaJs  and  of  a  fine  green  colour. 
Fordjing  of  black  the  small  rusty  copperas  is  preferred,  for  drabs 
and  other  light  coloure,  that  which  is  in  large  crrstals  and  of  a 
bright  green  is  employed. 


TO  MAKE  TIN  LIQUOR   FOR   SCARLET   AXD  OTHER 

COLOURS. 

THE  best  aqua-fortis,  and  that  which  is  generally  used  lq  Eng- 
land, is  made  by  S.  Key  &:  Son  of  Bewdley,  and  by  Randall  of  Lon- 
don, that  which  is  made  by  the  latter  being  now  mostly  employed 
in  the  west  of  England,  and  it  is  always  what  is  called  single  aqua- 
fortis. A  Mr.  lanes,  formerly  of  Bristol  in  England,  now  a  mer- 
chant in  the  city  of  New- York,  was  once  a  celebrated  maker  of 
this  article.  It  will  be  understood,  that  out  of  the  great  number  of 
makers  in  the  west  of  England,  and  in  London,  only  two  or  three 
are  able  to  make  an  article  fit  for  the  scarlet  dyer,  therefore,  it 
cannot  be  expected,  that  aqua-fortis,  which  is  bought  in  this  coun- 
tnf,  without  knowing  its  strength  or  quality,  should  answer  the  pur- 
pose, or  that  the  colours  produced  by  it  should  be  of  uniform  bril- 
liancy. 

The  tin  liquor  is  prepared  in  stone  ware  pots,  larger  at  the  mouth 
iban  at  the  bottom,  each  one  having  a  lip  for  the  conTenience  of 
pouring  out.  The  tin  is  always  obtained  from  Cornwall  in  stamped 
blocks,  and  none  other  can  be  depended  upon  as  being  genuine. 
To  obtain  it  pure  is  of  the  utmost  consequence.  That  which  is  in 
bars  is  very  liable  to  be  adulterated,  as  it  goes  through  the  hands 
of  some  dealer  in  the  article  after  it  come5  from  the  goremmental 
as^aver,  who  is  bound  not  to  let  any  block  pass  that  is  not  pure  tin, 
and  it  is  too  much  the  interest  of  the  dealers  to  adulterate  it.  by 
mixing  with  it  some  cheaper  and  baser  metal.  The  blocks  weigh 
about  thi  ee  hundred  pounds  each,  and  when  a  dyer  wishes  to  pur- 


oo 

"chasc,  be  has  samples  sent  him  from  several  blocks.  Each  one  ol 
these  are  melted  separately  in  an  iron  ladle,  the  samples  are  tried, 
and  the  best  are  purchased  for  use.  To  prepare  the  tin  for  use,  it 
i->  melted  in  the  ladle,  and  run  into  a  tub  of  water :  the  ladle  is  ele- 
^  nted  about  ten  feet  above  the  tub,  and  the  metal  let  out  in  a  small 
stream,  by  which  means  the  tin  becomes  separated  into  tliin  small 
porous  pieces.  Tlie  water  is  now  drained  off,  as  close  as  it  can  be 
poured,  without  permitting-  any  of  the  tin  to  follow  it.  The  tin  is 
then  taken  out  and  put  into  a  sieve  to  drain  ;  when  the  water  is  all 
drained  off,  the  metal  is  placed  and  spread  on  a  smooth  clean  plat- 
form until  dry  ;  for  tin  must  never  be  put  into  the  acids  in  a  moist 
state. 

Tiie  stone  pots,  in  which  the  preparation  is  made,  hold  from  eight 
1 1  ten  quarts  each,  they  are  placed  in  an  oblong-  reservoir,  for  a 
t  irg-e  concern,  two  feet  by  fifteen,  and  five  inches  deep  ;  into  this 

)id  water  is  let  run  from*  a  pipe  during-  the  whole  of  the  opei^ation, 
and  the  waste  water  passes  olf  through  an  opening  left  at  an  heighth 
that  will  just  preserve  tiie  pots  from  swimming,  when  the  liquor  is 
in  them.  Into  each  pot  is  put  four  pints  of  the  single  aqua-fortis, 
before  described,  two  pints  of  water,  and  a  handful  of  white  blown 
salt,  and  each  requires  about  eight  ounces  of  granulated  tin.  The 
tin  is  supplied  gradually,  a  small  handful  at  a  time  being  put  into 
each  pot,  and  they  are  kept  constantly  stirring,  by  a  man  who  sits 
in  front  of  the  middle  of  ihe  row.  The  stirring  is  done  with  a  rod 
of  basket  willow,  or  of  glass,  and  after  the  first  handful  of  tin  is  add- 
ed, the  m?D  is  kept  very  busy  until  the  wliole  of  that  quantity  is  in 
solution,  then  another  handful  is  added,  and  so  on,  until  the  neces- 
sary quantity  is  dissolved.  Dry  white  willow  is  used  to  stir  with, 
because  that  wood  imparts  no  colour  to  the  compound.  It  is  to  be 
understood  that  the  aqua-fortis  must  not  be  completely  saturated 
with  tin,  it  being  necessary  for  making  a  perfect  colour,  that  the 
acid  should  be  in  excess.  It  requires  about  eight  hours  to  perform 
the  operation,  for  the  first  three  it  has  to  be  continually^  attended 
^nd  briskly  stirred,  and  sparingly  supplied  with  tin  to  prevent  ade- 

imposition  of  the  aqna-regia ;  but  afterwards  it  will  onlv  be  neces- 


136 

-sry  to  sLir  ii  every  quaner  of  an  hour,  lakmgcare  lo  give  ii  a  gov^. 
-:irring  whenever  tin  is  added. 

• 

The  plan  recommended  by  some  theoretical  writers,  of  beiD^ 

wo  or  three  days  in  making"  this  preparation,  is  highly  absurd ;  for 

lat  which  is  made  one  day  is  always  used  tlie  next,  and  if  any  re- 

iiain  unconsumed,  it  is  employed  for  bufls,  reds,  crimsons,  purples 

^ nd  other  colours,  being  considered  as  unfit  for  scarlet;  and  the 

jrd  day,  a  decomposition  commences,  if  the  liquor  be  exposed  to 

he  atmosphere,  the  tin  being  precipitated  in  the  state  of  a  muciia- 

4inous  white  oxid  :  so  that  the  preparation  would  be  injured,  and 

lie  solution  rendered  unlit  for  tJie purpose  before  it  could  be  used, 

V  being  conducted  so  slow.     The  principal  points  to  be  attended 

■)  are,  to  have  aqua-fortis  as  free  as  jM)55ible  from  iron ;  to  make  it 

^eak  enough  before  tin  is  added,  to  use  none  bnt  very  white  clean 

-  lit,  and  not  to  permit  too  great  a  heat  to  be  raised  while  the  tin  i  - 

iissolring". 

In  France  ihey  add  to  the  aqua-fortis,  previous  to  adding  the  tin, 
->ome  sal-ammoniac  in  place  of  the  salt,  which  practice  is  also  fol- 
owed  by  some  of  tlie  English  dyers;  but  if  this  be  added  to  the 

east  excess,  Uie  colours  will  incline  to  a  piuk. 

In  place  of  salt,  the  dyers  often  put  in  a  small  quantiiy  of  <he 
^pirit  of  salt,  which  preserves  tlie  yellow  of  the  colour,  but  is  not 
considered  as  good  as  salt  by  the  best  scarlet  dyers. 

Spirit  of  salt  is  eften  prepared  separately,  and  the  liquor  added 
ID  the  other  tin  liquor  afterwards.  When  spirits  of  salt  is  prepar- 
ed by  itself,  a  large  quantity  of  tin  is  put  iu,  which  remains  three 
or  four  weeks  before  it  is  dissolved,  being  slirrc-d  oiily  occa^iorjii^'v. 


137 


TsEVV  MODE  OF  PREPARING  LIQUOR  FOR  SCARLET. 

I  HAVE  been  convinced  since  the  year  1 807,  that  tHe  tartaric 
acid,  or  that  acid  which  is  a  component  part  of  cream  of  tartar,  is 
flie  only  material  in  the  complicated  compound  of  acids  and  salts 
used  in  the  scarlet  process,  producing  that  effect  on  cochineal 
wliich  occasions  it  to  change  from  crimson,  its  natural  colour,  to 
tlic  vivid  orange  that  constitutes  the  scarlet :  and  this  discovery 
v.as  more  the  effect  of  chance  than  of  preconceived  deductions. 

J  was  that  year  engaged  in  the  laboratory  of  Mr.  Wm.  Bryan, 
Sen.  (who  was  then  an  able  and  extensive  dyer  in  London,  and 
whose  sons  pursue  the  same  business  in  New-York)  in  making  ex- 
periments to  discover  the  effects  produced  by  the  mordants  on  every 
kind  of  colouring  matter.  While  so  employed,  I  put  into  a  phial 
of  aqua-regia,  as  much  pulverized  cream  of  tartar  as  I  had  been 
accustomed  to  use  in  the  dying  furnace,  with  the  same  portion  of 
acids.  The  bottle  was  labelled,  and  laid  by  on  a  shelf.  About  two 
months  afterwards,  I  Avas  engaged  in  experimenting  on  the  colour- 
iQg  matters  producing  yellow,  when  I  used  some  of  the  mixture 
with  the  old  fustic ;  the  effect  produced,  surprised  me  very  much, 
the  colour  being  more  brilliant  than  any  I  had  ever  seen  produced 
from  the  same  material ;  and  it  proved,  after  the  most  severe  trials, 
to  be  as  permanent  as  it  was  beautiful.  On  examining  the  list  of 
patterns  in  April,  1821,  I  found  every  other  yellow  was  faded,  whilst 
that  one  had  retained  its  original  body  and  lustre. 

In  the  year  1810, 1  made  some  experiments  on  cochineal,  with 
the  mixture ;  and  the  colour  produced  by  it,  was  a  fine  scarlet,  very 
brilliant  and  well  grounded,  and  I  found,  on  trial,  thai  it  stood  the 
test. of  washing  and  exposure  to  atmospheric  changes  much  better 
than  any  scarlet  dyed  after  the  common  mode. 

The  longer  the  cream  of  tartar  remains  in  the  aqua-regia,  the 
more  completely  will  any  given  portion  of  the  compound,  jcllow 

12* 


138 

.:..;  aci  ^bcn  me  mixrure  hjs  oecn  sia&iimg  iurt.e  or 

r        ;;::i>,  a  very  small  portioa  of  it  is  sufficient  to  produce  the 

This  fjact  proves  that  the  decomposition  of  the  super- 

irtrite  of  potash  (cream  of  tartar)  g^oe?  on  rerj  slowly,  and  that  r 

s  the  tartaric  acid  alone,  which  produces  the  effect  of  orangiug 

:be  cochineal.     It  would  require  a  numher  of  nice  experiments, 

r.nd  considerable  time  to  ascertain  the  exact  proportions  of  tlie 

Mderent  ingredients  to  produce  the  best  mixture,  with  giren  quan- 

iiies  of  acids,  tartar,  and  cochineal.     If  I  had  capital  to  spore,  I 


IX  OIL  u.     .  :TRI0L  and  IXDIGO  to  31AKE 
CIIEMICK. 

i  Jii.'r^  uaxiure  ;s  made  id  jlass  or  stori,  ^Tire  pois.  iiavmg  hp"^ 
;'or  ihe  conveniency  of  pouring  oi::.  Coir.:r,on  earthenware  will 
not  answer  the  purpose,  it  being  glazed  with  a  preparation  of  lead, 
^nd  the  Tilriol  acting  on  it,  dissolves  the  lead  very  much  to  the  in- 
ury  of  the  coIour  made  with  the  compound.  "VVlien  the  glazing 
:s  gone,  which  it  will  be  in  a  very  short  time,  the  clay  will  absorb 
the  mixture  and  permit  the  compound  to  leak  through  it.  Tlie  pot 
^iiio  which  the  mixture  is  to  be  made,  is  put  into  a  sand  heat  that 
»nay  be  fixed  in  any  iron  pot  of  sufficient  capacity  for  the  opera- 
tion. First  obtain  an  iron  pot  large  enough  to  hold  the  stone  one, 
tor  one  half  of  its  depth,  and  to  permit  three  or  four  inches  of  sand 
I  -i  lay  below  the  bottom,  and  around  it.  The  pot  is  set  in  brick 
'.vork,  with  a  grate  under  it,  the  fire  not  being  pemiitted  to  reach 
iiigber  than  the  sand  inside.  The  sand  employed,  should  be 
tolerably  fine,  and  of  that  kind  which  is  czdled  sihcious.  such  as 
is  used  by  glass  makers.  The  oil  of  vitriol  should  be  of  the  strong- 
v>t  kind,  that  which  has  the  greatest  specific  graTky,  and  is  per- 
:cily  pellucid. 

Oil  of  vitriol  was  fi>rmcrly  made  by  burning  sulphar  with  a  gir- 


139 

eu  portion  of  salt-petre,  on  carriag-es  covered  with  lead,  iu  iarg^e 
close  rooms  lined  with  lead,  and  the  sulphuric  %as  was  condensed 
in  a  cistern  of  water  at  tiie  bottom  of  tlie  room.     Tiie  liquor  was 
afterwards  evaporated  in  leaden  vessels  to  a  g-iven  strength,  and 
then  rectified  in  larg-e  glass  retorts.     Within  a  few  years,  a  patent 
has  been  obtained  for  making-  it  in  a  more  direct  way.     I  have 
never  seen  this  in  operation,  but  have  been  informed  that  it  is  done 
b}  bringing  together  two  streams  of  gas,  one  of  oxygen,  another 
of  sulphureous,  which  by  some  refrigeratory  process,  are  made  to 
combine,  and  that  the  result  is  the  production  of  a  strong  sulphuric 
acid  (oil  of  vitriol)  in  a  more  direct  way  than  by  the  old  process. 
However  that  may  be,  this  oil  of  vitriol  is  very  much  superior  to 
that  which  is  made  after  the  old  mode  ;  its  specific  gravity  is  great- 
er, and  it  dissolves  indigo  more  completely.     My  brother  uses  it 
altogetiici",   and  he  has  informed  me,  that  he  would  not  take  the 
other,   to  be  compelled  to  use  it,  as  a  gift.     I  am  informed  that 
this  new  vitriol  is  sold  at  two  pence  three  farthings  the  pound,  and 
is  manufactured  cither  at  Manchester,  or  Liverpool,  T  do  not  re- 
member Mhich.     It  is  important  that  those  who  use  chemick  for 
blue  and  greei,  should  be  supplied  with  this  article. 

When  tlic  best  oil  of  vitriol  is  procured,  the  next  thing  neces- 
sary is  to  obtain  such  indigo  as  is  suitable  to  rnix  with  it.  A  fine, 
light,  compact,  purple  indigo,  either  of  Spanish  or  Bengal,  should 
be  obtained  ;  but  it  not  unfrequently  happens,  that  the  best  looking 
indigo  is  unfit  for  the  purpose,  and  this  can  only  be  known  by  a  di- 
rect trial.  It  is  customary,  therefore,  to  obtain  small  samples  from 
several  lots,  and  to  try  them  with  vitriol  before  making  a  purchase. 
The  trials  arc  made  in  small  pots,  into  each  of  which,  eight  ounces 
of  vitriol  is  put,  and  the  pots  are  placed  in  a  bucket  of  hot  water. 
When  the  vitriol  has  become  warm,  there  is  stirred  in  each  pot, 
two  ounces  from  each  sample,  in  a  state  of  fine  powder,  by  small 
quantities  at  a  time.  That  which  is  the  best,  is  known  by  its  rising 
modcraicly  as  the  mixing  progresses,  but  not  too  much,  for  when 
the  effervescence  is  too  strong,  a  portion  of  tlie  indigo  will  be  de- 
composed, and  when  very  rapid,  the  wliole  ;  and  that  which  is  dc- 


140 

composed,  will  not  produce  any  colour,  nor  will  it  mix  with  either 
cold,  or  hot  water,' for  the  indig-o  appeal's  to  be  completely  carbon- 
ized. When  it  does  not  rise  at  all,  the  mixture  is  incomplete,  that 
is,  tlie  indigo  is  not  properly  in  solution,  the  g-oods  dyed  with  it. 
will  be  uneven,  and  the  colour  very  fug^itive. 

When  such  vitriol  and  indigo  are  procured  as  will  make  a  com- 
plete solution,  the  pot  is  put  into  the  sand  heat,  with  four  pounds  of 
vitriol  for  every  pound  of  indigo  intended  to  be  dissolved.  The 
indigo  must  be  ground  very  fine,  in  a  dry  state,  in  a  steel  mill,  or 
by  pounding  and  sifting'  through  a  fine  sieve.  A  fire  is  made  un- 
der the  sand  pot,  and  driven  till  the  vitriol  is  of  the  temperature  of 
new  milk,  when  the  fire  is  lowered  so  as  to  keep  it  at  that  heat. 
When  the  vitriol  is  warm  enough,  a  small  tea-cup  full,  or  ratiier 
less,  is  put  in,  and  stirred  until  well  mixed,  and  such  quantities  are 
continued  to  be  added,  from  time  to  time,  as  fast  as  they  are  dis- 
solved, until  all  the  indigo  is  in  solution,  after  which  it  is  kept  con- 
stantly stirred  for  one  hour,  as  well  as  during  tlie  operation.  It 
takes  about  four  hours  to  prepare  twenty  pounds  of  chemick,  that 
is,  sixteen  pounds  of  vitriol  and  four  of  indigo.  It  has  now  to  be 
covered  down,  and  may  be  used  the  day  following.  After  all  these 
pains,  which  are  necessary  to  make  the  article  perfect,  it  will  not 
be  fit  for  use  for  more  than  Uvo  or  three  days,  if  left  exposed  to  the 
atmosphere,  but  if  put  into  glass  bottles,  with  ground  glass  stop- 
pers, the  day  after  it  has  been  made,  it  will  keep  good  for  months. 

There  are  many  receipts  circulating,  in  tljis»  as  well  as  in  other 
countries,  for  compounding  indigo  and  vitriol  for  woollen  dying. 
In  some,  five  parts  of  vitriol  is  recommended  for  one  of  indig©,  in 
others  six,  seven,  and  some  go  as  far  as  eight ;  but  when  the  vitriol 
is  of  a  proper  strength,  four  pounds  will  dissolve  one  of  indigo  as 
completely  as  any  greater  proportion,  and  it  is  worse  than  useless 
to  employ  more  than  is  suflBcient,  for  in  all  cases  the  action  of  the 
vitriol  is  injurious  to  the  goods  dyed. 

We  will  proceed  to  describe  those  materials  from  which  colour  is 


141 

'iUtained.  Therd'are  many  dye  wares  used  in  Eng-land  and  in 
France,  that  have  not  yet  found  their  way  to  tliis- country.  Such 
are  Barwood,  Green  Ebony,  Dyer's  Weed,  Weld  and  Brazil  Wood. 
The  four  first  of  these  are  more  generally  used  in  Europe  than  any 
Mthcrs,  and  it  appears  very  strang-e  to  an  English  dyer  to  find  they 

ire  here  almost  totally  unknown.  I  shall  commence  by  describ- 
ing the  most  expensive  dye  drugs,  such  as  cocliineal,  turmeric, 
lolouring  matter  of  shell  lac,  Brazil  wood,  madder,  man-gcct,  and 

rulisro. 


OX  COCHINEAL. 

There  is  so  much  difference  in  the  quality  and  value  of  coclii- 
neal, that  it  is  impossible  to  describe  it  accurately,  and  nothing  but 
practice  in  comparing  samples,  and  in  the  use  of  it,  can  give  that 
critical  judgment,  which  will  enable  the  dyer  to  make  choice  of 
those  that  are  the  best  suited  for  the  purpose.  That  which  is  call- 
ed Sylvester,  having  a  white  down  covering  the  outside,  is  never 
used  by  the  best  scarlet  dyers,  the  large  black  grained  cochineal 
being  always  employed  by  them.  Cochineal,  being  a  costly  article, 
is  subject  to  great  adulterations;  there  is  often  found  in  it  a  gummy 
looking  substance,  having  no  colour,  sometimes  stones  are  found 
in  it  as  large  as  the  fly.  Every  sample,  before  purchasing,  should  be 
scrupulously  examined,  and  all  suspicious  substances  separated; 
from  the  real  fly  and  broken,  whicli  will  disclose  the  imposition,  and 
enable  the  consumer  to  judge  of  the  adulterated  per  ccntage.  It 
is  usual,  when  different  samples  are  offered,  after  the  adulterations 
are  ascertained,  to  reduce  each  one  separately  into  a  fine  powder, 
and  to  form  a  judgment  of  their  relative  value  by  their  comparati\  <■ 
shades  of  intensity.  When  dyers  are  compelled  to  purc^^se  the 
Sylvester,  which' is  often  the  case  from  the  scarcity  of  the  black 
grain,  they  always  make  choice  of  that  kind  which  is  in  the  largest 
grains,  and  having  the  least  white  down  on  them. 

Cochineal  is  ground  in  a  mill  kept  expressly  for  the  purpose,  and 
is  never  permitted  to  be  used  for  any  thing  else. 


142 

For  the  finest  scarlet  intended  to  be  very  rich  in  colcur  and 
body,  no  colouring-  matter  should  be  used,  excepting-  cochineal ; 
but  in  g^eneral  the  manufacturer  will  not  g^o  to  that  expense,  there- 
ore,  some  yellow  has  almost  always  been  used  to  assist  the  body 
of  the  colour :  such  as  young  fustic,  black  oak  bark,  and  tcrmeric. 
The  latter  is  what  my  father  has  always  employed,  and  although  it 
is  not  so  permanent  as  black  oak  bark,  yet  it  gives  a  much  richer 
colour,  making  the  scarlet  more  flaming ;  and  as  the  yellow  con- 
stitutes but  a  small  portion  of  the  body  of  the  colour,  it  will  not  fade 
much,  and  has  never  been  found  fault  with  by  military  oflScers,  who 
are  the  principal  consumers.  When  scarlet  cloaks  were  generally 
worn,  I  have  seen  the  colour  look  very  well,  when  dyed  with  turme- 
riCi  after  having  been  used  several  winters ;  consequently,  the  colour 
cannot  be  so  fugitive,  as  has  been  represented  by  many  interested 
writers.     Mr.  Haight  has  informed  me  that  scarlets,  dyed  witK 

rtneric,  will  fade  very  much  on  drving  before  a  fire ;  this  may 
probably  be  the  reason  why  they  are  always  tentered  in  the  fields^ 
-n  1  n-^^-r  -'-"  a  nre  her-tin  during  stoves. 

Turmeric  is  brought  from  tropical  countries,  it  is  in  the  form  of 
bulbous  roots,  and,  when  broken  by  the  hammer,  should  be  of  a 
fine  golden  yellow.  If  the  roots  are  new,  and  have  not  been  toa 
mt:ch  exposed,  the  outside  will  have  a  yellow  appearance ;  but  if 
old,  they  will  be  of  a  dirty  drab ;  and  the  value  of  t'le  drug  will  be 
in  proportion  to  the  distance  this  abstraction  of  colour  has  pene- 
trated tlie  root. 

The  colouring  matter  of  shell -lac  has  not  been  known  as  a  dye 
nK>re  than  twenty  years.  It  is  imported  from  the  East  Indies  in 
square  cakes,  and  is  sold  by  the  company  at  from  three  to  nine 
shillings  steriing  the  pound.  It  is  used  for  dying  scarlet  in  place 
of  cochineal,  by  a  diiferent  process,  which  will  be  described  when 
receipts  for  that  colour  are  given. 

Brazil  wood  is  imported  from  the  Brazils.  It  is  Uie  property  of 
the  crown,  and  every  piece  has  the  king's  stamp  on  it.    It  has  been 


143 

very  scarce  in  Europe  of  late  years,  being  sold  there  at  seventy  dol- 
lars per  hundred  in  the  log-.  It  is  used  principally  for  colouring  crim- 
son and  other  colours  of  that  hue.  It  is  also  the  principal  ingre- 
dient for  making  red  ink. 

Madder  is  imported  from  the  Archipelago  and  Holland,  the  fine 
Smyrna  being  considered  the  best.  Of  madder  there  are  four  dis- 
tinct grades,  the  crop,  the  umbro,  the  gamene,  and  the  mull,  and 
in  each  of  these  there  are  different  shades  of  quality.  The  umbro 
and  gamene  are  mostly  used  in  England,  for  all  common  colours, 
and  for  the  blue  vats ;  the  crop  is  used  for  fine  reds,  and  the  mull 
for  very  dark  bottle  green,  for  dark  brown,  and  for  some  dirty 
drabs.  That  which  is  generally  sold  in  America  are  either  very 
inferior  crops  or  first  quality  umbro.  I  have  never  seen  any 
prime  crop  in  this  market,  nor  any  of  tlie  inferior  quality,  except- 
ing a  sample  of  very  poor  mull. 

Madder  grows  well  in  the  western  country,  and  I  am  informed 
it  thrives  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  where  it  has  been  plant- 
ed. Many  farmers  in  Kentucky  raise  it  for  sale,  and  I  liave  seen 
some  sold  in  the  stalk  there,  that  has  been  of  a  very  superior  qua- 
lity. The  mode  of  raising  it  is,  by  putting  down  a  layer  of  roots 
in  small  beds,  and  covering  them  with  a  few  inches  of  soil ;  these 
throw  up  shoots  full  of  joints,  which  are  laid  down  and  covered 
with  soil  twice  in  each  summer ;  these  become  madder,  and  throw 
up  fresh  shoots.  In  four  or  five  years  the  whole  bed  is  taken  up 
for  use,  and  the  smallest  roots  replanted  to  make  fresh  beds.  The 
product  is  very  valuable,  and  well  worth  the  attention  of  the  manu- 
facturer, as  what  could  be  raised  on  one  acre  of  land  would  amply 
supply  the  most  extensive  manufacture  in  the  country,  for  every 
purpose,  after  the  first  crop  came  round. 

Madder  is  dried  in  stores,  or  in  the  shade,  when  exposed  to  dry 
in  the  air,  it  is  then  ground  and  passed  through  sieves,  by  which 
the  different  qualities  are  separated.     When  sifted,  it  is  packed 


144 

Jiard  lu  u^iii  casks,  w.iert-  lae  line  quaiiuc;  uecome  socompa^.i.     - 
to  require  a  chisel  and  hammer  to  separate  it.  "^ 

M.  D'-Arabourner  made  many  experiments  upon  madder,  and  he 
has  g-iven  it  as  his  opinion,  that  the  fresli  root  may  be  used  with  as 
much  adv^nta^e  as  that  which  lias  been  dried  and  powdered ;  al- 
lowing four  pounds  for  one  ;  before  using",  it  should  be  bruised  in  a 
mill,  similar  to  that  in  which  apples  are  ground  ;  or  the  common, 
conical,  iron  bark  mill  Arould  be  preferable.  Any  person  who 
raises  madder  either  for  sale,  or  for  their  own  use,  must  wash  the 
roots  as  soon  as  they  are  taken  out  of  the  g:round,  and  dry  them  in 
ihe  siiade,  or  ia  stores,  as  soon  afterwards  as  possible  ;  when  dry  it 
:nust,  either  ground,  or  unground,  be  packed  in  close  casks,  and 
headed  down  ;  for  exposure  to  the  air  ferments  madder,  and  de- 
stroys all  its  colouring  matter.  ]Many  persons,  as  weU  dealers  in 
the  article,  as  consumers,  not  being  aware  of  this  property  in  mad- 
der, expose  the  surface  to  the  air  without  any  coyeriug,  by  which 
it  gradually  becomes  yellow,  then  assumes  a  dirty  light  brown,  and 
is  more  or  less  damaged,  according  to  the  length  of  time  it  has  been 
exposed,  and  to  tlje  moisture  of  tLe  room  in  which  it  has  been 
placed. 

The  outside  of  casks  of  madder,  are  always  more  or  less  dam- 
aged, and  when  sold  in  Europe  an  allowance  is  made  for  what  is 
o  ailed  crust.  The  injury  a  cask  has  sustained,  is  discovered  by 
boring  in  from  the  bilge  to  the  middle  and  drawing  out  the  bor- 
er full  of  madder  ;  by  examining  this,  an  estimate  is  formed  of  the 
.verage  loss.  Supposing  a  cask  of  crop  madder  of  three  feet  di- 
ameter is  offered  for  sale,  having  a  damaged  crust  of  two  inches, 
the  person  who  buys  for  use,  without  an  allowance,  will  be  a  loser 
of  nearly  twenty  per  cent. 

Most  of  those  who  work  blue  vats  here,  are  under  an  impression 
ihat  madder  by  giving  out  its  red  dye  to  the  liquor,  produces  with 
the  blue  a  rich  purple  blue  colour :  but  in  tliis  they  are  mistaken ;  for 
madder  immediately  it  is  put  into  the  vat,  ferments,  and  in  one  or 


14o 

'  two  hours  loses  all  its  colour  ;  so  that  those  who  use  the  best  crop 
madder  under  this  impresssion,  are  contributing'  to  the  expense 
of  the  dj^e  without  reaping  any  equivalent. 

Mangeet  is  imported  from  the  eastern  continent,  in  casks  and 
oblong  boxes.  It  is  in  long  roots  of  the  size  of  a  pipe  stem,  and 
the  colour  it  affords  is  similar  to  that  given  by  madder,  excepting 
it  being  rather  more  on  the  red.  I  am  inclined  to  believe  from 
experiments  made  many  years  since,  that  mangeet  would  be  an  ex- 
cellent succedaneum  for  the  yellows  used  with  cochineal  in  colour^ 
ing  of  scarlet. 

In  making  choice  of  indigo,  the  dyer  should  attend  to  its  weight, 
burlk  for  bulk,  to  its  fi-acture  and  colour.  That  which  weio-hs  tlie 
least  for  its  bulk,  is  smooth  in  the  fracture,  and  appears  of  a  fine 
purple  or  copper  bronze  hue,  and  when  rubbed  with  the  nail  has 
a  polished  copper  appearance,  is  the  best.  The  qualities  in  this 
drug  are  so  unlimited,  that  it  requires  great  practical  skill  to  make 
purchase  of  the  most  profitable  article  where  the  samples  are  near- 
ly alike.  The  best  way  of  ascertaining  the  relative  value  of  sam" 
pies,  is  to  pound  them  fine,  and  to  make  choice  of  that  which  has 
the  richest  colour. 

The  indigo  that  is  used  in  a  fermenting  vat,  should  be  ground 
to  a  fine  paste  in  water.  This  may  be  effected  either  in  a  cast 
iron  pot,  with  balls  turned  by  a  crank,  or  with  a  mill,  such  as  is 
used  to  grind  printer's  ink.  The  indigo  should  be  previously  soak- 
ed, by  putting  it  into  a  tub,  and  filling  up  so  as  to  cover  it  with 
boiling  water.  When  this  has  remained  soaking  for  three  or  four 
days,  the  indigo  will  become  so  soft  as  to  crumble  when  moved^ 
or  when  handled,  will  break  by  the  slightest  pressure  of  the  fin- 
gers. 

The  ball  mill  I  need  not  describe,  as  every  dyer  is  acquainted 
with  it :  the  shape  of  the  mill  in  general  use  here  is  very  bad : 
the  bottom  where  the  balls  work,  should  STfell,  qr  belly  out,  and 
13 


146 

the  pot  should  narrow  a  little  towards  the  top.  A  pot  of  this  shape 
would  nerer  pennit  theiodigo  to  be  thrown  out  bj  the  balls,  whea 
in  motion,  a  defeci  verj  common  in  the  bell  shape  pots  used  in 
this  countrr.  An  indigo  miU  pot  where  more  than  one  rat  is  in- 
tended to  be  employed,  should  be  large  enough  to  grind  thirty 
pounds  of  indigo  at  one  time,,with  two  balls,  each  seventy  pounds 
weight ;  these,  if  kept  in  constant  motion,  will  completely  giind 
that  quantity  in  three  days.  The  printers,  or  stcMie  mill,  must  hare 
an  iron  breaker  through  which  the  indigo  may  pst^  before  it  en- 
ters the  stones ;  and  the  finer  it  is  broken  by  this,  the  easier  and 
better  it  will  grind.  A  man  is  employed  to  lade  in  the  soaked 
indigo,  and  about  two  hundred  pounds  may  be  ground  ia  one  day. 

We  hare  now  gtme  through  the  most  eiqioisive  dye  wares,  and 
shall  proceed  to  take  notice  of  the  others,  as  kgwood,  camwood, 
redwood,  peacLwood,  barwood,  fustic,^weki,  dyer's  weed,  green 
ebony,  young  fustic,  &c. 

There  are  four  kinds  of  logwood,  the  Campeachy,  the  St.  Do- 
mingo, the  Honduras  and  the  Jamaica,  known  by  the  name  of  the 
places  from  whence  they  come.  The  Campeachy  is  the  best,  the 
St.  Domingo  the  nest  best,  and  the  Honduras  the  -worst  of  the 
three.  It  is  considered  that  three  pounds  of  Campeachy  is  equal 
to  three  and  a  half  of  Domingo,  and  four  of  Hfmduras.  The  Ja- 
maica, is  a  weak  poor  dye  wood. 


i 


Camwood  is  not  much  used  in  the  west  of  England.  It  was  once 
employed  there,  but  has  been  superseded  by  diat  of  barwood, 
which  is  considered  a  much  better  wood  for  browns  and  other  co> 
lours  for  which  the  former  was  used, 

Red'.rood  is  but  little  emplc^ed,  excepting  in  some  pecuhar  co- 
lours, as  will  be  seen  by  the  receipts  for  dying.  Wbzx  is  calloi 
redwood  in  this  country,  must  be  a  di&rent  wood  from  that  which 
5^0^"^  by  the  stsue  came  ia  England ;  for  redwood  is  there  neariy 


I4r 

double  the  price  of  camwood.     It  is  the  same  as  is  here  called 
hatchwood. 

Peachwood  is  the  same  as  is  here  known  by  the  name  of  nica-. 
ra^ua,  it  is  rarely  used,  excepting'  in  colours  having-  a  purple  hue. 

There  are  three  qualities  of  fustic,  the  Cuba,  the  Honduras,  and 
the  Jamaica ;  the  former  is  the  best,  and  the  others  in  succession^ 
as  they  are  named. 

Weld  is  raised  in  France  and  England,  from  whence  small  quan- 
tities are  occasionally  imported  into  this  country,  and  sold  at  seven- 
five  cents  per  pound  This  plant,  (residae  leuteola)  can  be  raised 
on  any  land  that  is  not  too  rich,  for  on  good  land  it  runs  too  much 
to  stalk,  and  produces  a  small  quantity  of  colouring  matter.  It  is 
a  biennial  plant,  and  is  gathered  when  in  full  blossom,  by  pulling 
it  up  by  the  roots  ;  it  is  then  bound  tog^ether  in  small  bundles,  and 
placed  in  the  shade^  in  a  favourable  situation  to  dry.  It  will  be 
necessary  to  procure  the  seed  from  Europe,  as  that  which  is  ob- 
tained from  the  plants  brought  into  this  country,  is  not  ripe  enough^ 
for  reproducing  it,  the  plant  being  pulled  while  green,  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  dye. 

Doctor  Bancroft  has  taken  much  pains  to  prove  that  the  quer- 
citron, or  black  oak  bark,  will  give  a  colour  equally  as  good  as  the 
weld  ;  but,  English  woollen  dyers  are  convinced,  after  having  tried 
the  two,  that  the  weld  gives  a  more  beautiful,  and  a  more  perma- 
nent colour,  when  used  only  with  the  common  mordants,  alum  and 
tartar.  There  is  another  property  in  weld,  which  gives  it  a  de- 
,cided  advantage  over  the  black  oak  bark  ;  it  imparts  a  softness  to 
all  woollens  coloured  in  it,  which  no  other  colouring  matter  doeis 
in  the  same  degree. 

Dyer's  weed  grows  wild  on  commons,  and  around  the  borders  of 
woodland,  it  has  much  the  appearance  of  heath,  and  is  known  by 
the  name  wood  wax.     I  brought  some  seed  vvith  me  from  Englani^) 


148 

« 

and  planted  a  part  of  it  on  a  mountain  in  New  Jersey.  If  it  should 
grow  and  increase  there,  I  shall  endeavour  to  extend  the  plantation. 

Green  ebony  is  imported  from  some  islands  in  the  Pacific ;  it  is 
a  green  coloured  wood,  rather  of  an  olive  hue,  and  is  much  used 
in  g-reens,  olire  browns  and  many  other  colours  having  a  green  hue. 

YouDg  fustic  is  the  sticks,  or  woody  part  of  the  Venice  sumac, 
and  is  sold  cheap  in  England.  Tlie  sap  is  white,  whilst  the  inside 
is  of  a  rich  yellow.  It  is  used  in  chips,  and  principally  employed 
for  oranges,  auroras,  &c.  &c. 


ON  RAISING  AND  MAKING  WOAD  FOR  THE  BLUE 

VAT. 

AS  I  consider  the  colour  produced  by  the  ash  vat,  to  be  in  every 
way  inferior  to  that  from  woad,  I  shall  not  attempt  to  give  an  ac- 
count of  it ;  besides  I  am  not  well  versed  in  the  ash  dye,  never 
having  seen  any  until  I  came  to  this  country.  Those  who  want 
information  on  that  mode  of  dying,  may  consult  Doctor  Cooper's 
work,  where  they  will  find  an  ample  description  of  it.  I  am  sorry 
lo  have  to  observe,  that  Mr.  Cooper  has  committed  himself  very 
^*nuch  in  asserting  that  "  the  ash  is  the  common  vat  for  the  blue 
dye  employed  in  Europe,"  when  it  is  a  well-known  fact,  that  in 
England,  where  three  times  as  much  blue  wool  is  dyed,  as  in  all 
other  parts  of  Europe,  this  vat  is  totally  unknown,  not  one  wool- 
len dyer  in  fifty  haviug  ever  heard  of  it.  And  I  understand  it  is 
only  used  on  the  continent  by  those  who  are  ignorant  of  the  woad 
dye. 

In  order  to  succeed  well  with  this  mode  of  dying,  it  will  be  ne- 
t'essary  to  obtain  a  regular  supply  of  woad,  and  that  it  be  ahva}s 
pretty  nearly  tfie  same  in  quality  and  strength.  To  obtain  this,  it 
should  be  raised  on  strong  good  land,  and  always  manufactured  in 


14& 

tbe  same  way  ;  as  any  considerable  variation  will  disappoint  tli6 
dyer,  anc'  be  the  means  of  his  producing  colours  more  or  less  weak» 
as  the  woad  is  bad,  or  good. 

As  this  plant  and  the  mode  of  working  it,  is  but  little  known  in 
America,  I  shall  give,  in  the  first  place,  a  copy  of  a  letter  from 
Mr.  John  Parish,  to  the  Bath  Agricultural  Society,  on  the  cultiva- 
tion and  manufacture  of  it,  and  afterwards  describe  the  process  I 
pursued  to  obtain  a  supply  for  the  Providence  Steam  Factory 
during  the  late  war,  when  English  woad  wasjselling  at  fifty  cents 
per  pound. 

Mr.  Parish  informs  us  that  this  plant  is  cultivated  in  different 
parts  of  England,  for  the  use  of  the  dyers,  as  well  as  in  France, 
Germany,  fee.  It  is  best  to  sow  the  seeds  in  the  month  of  March* 
or  early  in  April,  if  the  season  invite  ;  but  it  requires  a  deep  loamy 
soil,  and  is  better  still  with  a  clay  bottom,  such  as  is  not  subject  to 
become  dry  too  auickly.  It  must  never  be  flooded,  but  situated 
60  as  to  drain  its  surface  that  it  may  not  be  poisoned  by  any  wa- 
ter stagnating  upon  it. 

at  anv  reasonable  price,  meadow  land  can  be  obtained  td 
break  the  surface,  it  will  be  doubly  productive.  This  land  is  gene- 
rally most  free  from  weeds  and  putrid  matter,  though  sometimes  it 
abounds  with  botts,  grubs  and  snails.  However,  it  saves  much 
expense  in  weeding;  and  judicious  management  will  get  rid  d^ 
iliese  otherwise  destructive  vermin.  A  season  of  warm  showers, 
not  too  dry,  or  too  wet,  gives  the  most  regular  crop,  and  produces 
the  best  woad. 

If  woad  is  sown  on  corn  land,  much  expense  generally  attends'' 
hoeing  and  weeding ;  and  here  it  will  require  strong  manure, 
though  on  leys  it  is  seldom  much  necessary,  yet  land  cannot  be  too 
rich  for  woad.  On  rich  land,  dung  should  be  avoided,  particularly 
On  leys,  to  avoid  weeds.  Some  people  sow  it  as  grain,  and  harrow 
13* 


150 

it  ia.  and  afterfrards  boe  it  as  turnips,  leaving-  plants  at  a  distaccc, 
in  proportion  to  the  streng'tli  of  tbe  land ;  others  sow  it  in  ranks  by 
a  drill  ploug-h  :  and  some  dibble  it  in,  pulting^  three  or  four  seeds  in 
a  hole,  and  these  holes  to  be  from  twenty  inches  to  two  feet  apart, 
accordii^  to  tbe  richness  of  the  land ;  for  g-ood  land,  if  room  be 
giren,  will  prodncc  very  hkjniriant  plants  ia  gx>od  seasons ;  but  if 
too  nearly  planted,  so  that  air  cannot  circulate,  they  do  not  ihriFC 
so  well.  Attention  to  this,  is  necessary  in  ever}-  way  of  sowing  it. 
Woad  very  often  fails  in  its  crop,  from  the  land  not  being  ia  con- 
dition, or  from  want  of  knowing  how  to  destroy  tbe  botts,  snails, 
wire- worms,  &c.  that  so  often  prey  upon  and  destroy  it,  as  well  as 
Trom  inattention  to  weeding,  kjc.  Crops  fail  also  from  being  sown 
on  land  that  is  naturally  too  dry,  and  in  a  dry  season  ;  but  as  the 
roots  take  a  perpendicular  direction,  and  run  deep,  such  land  as  I 
bave  described  (with  proper  attention  to  my  observations)  will  sel- 
dom fail  of  a  crop ;  and  if  the  season  will  admit  of  sowing  early 
fDougb  to  have  the  plants  strong  before  the  hot  and  dry  weather 
comes  on,  there  will  be  almost  a  certainty  of  a  great  produce. 

These  plants  are  frequently  destroyed  in  the  germination  by 
3ies,  or  animalcules,  and  by  grubs,  snails,  &:c.  as  before  observed; 
and  in  order  to  preserve  them,  the  seeds  may  be  steeped,  with  good 
success,  in  lime  and  soot,  until  they  begin  to  veg-etate  ;  first  throw- 
ing half  a  load  or  more  of  flour  lime  on  the  acre,  and  harrowing 
it  in.  Then  plant  the  seeds  as  soon  as  they  break  the  pod,  taking 
care  not  to  have  more  than  one  day's  seed  ready ;  for  it  is  better 
to  be  too  early,  than  to  have  their  vegetation  too  strong  before  it 
ih  plaDt<>d,  lest  they  should  receive  injury  ;  yet  I  have  never  ob- 
served any  injury  in  mine  from  this,  though  I  have  often  seen  the 
tbe  shoot  strong.  Either,  harrows  or  rollers  will  close  the  holes. 
if  tbe  ground  be  moist,  it  will  appear  in  a  few  days  ;  but  it  will  be 
safe,  and  a  benefit  to  the  land,  to  throw  more  lime  on  the  surface, 
when,  if  showers  invite  snails  and  grubs  to  eat  it,  they  will  be  de- 
stroyed, which  I  have  several  times  found ;  particularly,  when  the 
leaves  were  two  inches  long,  and  in  drills  very  thick  and  strong, 
nat  tiic  ground  was  dry.     When  a  warm  rain  fell,  in  less  than  two 


151 

hours,  1  found  the  ranks  on  one  side  attacked  by  these  vermin,  and 
eaten  entirely  off  by  a  larg-e  black  grub,  thousands  of  which  were 
on  the  leaves,  and  they  cleared  as  they  went,  not  goin^  on  until 
they  had  destroyed  every  leaf  where  they  fixed.  They  had  eaten 
six  or  seven  ranks  before  I  was  called  by  one  of  my  people  to  ob- 
serve it.  Havinof  plenty  of  lime,  I  immediately  ordered  it  in  dour 
to  be  strewed  along"  those  ranks  which  were  not  begun.  This  de- 
stroyed them  in  vast  numbers,  and  secured  the  remainder.  Ano- 
ther time,  having  had  two  succeeding-  crops  on  four  acres  of  land,  1 
considered  it  imprudent  to  venture  another.  However,  as  the  land 
after  this  appeared  so  rich  and  clean,  I  again  ventured,  but  soon 
found  my  error.  On  examining  the  roots  (for  after  it  had  begun 
to  vegetate  strong,  it  was  observed  to  decay  and  witlier)  I  found 
thousands  of  the  wire-room  at  them,  entwined  in  every  root.  I 
immediately  strewed  lime,  four  loads  of  six  quarters  each,  on  the 
four  acres,  and  harrowed  it  in  ;  when  rain  coming  on  soon  after, 
washed  it  in,  destroyed  them  all,  and  I  had  an  excellent  crop ;  but 
t}ie  side  of  the  field  sown  first  where  they  had  begun,  never  quite 
recovered  like  the  rest. 

It  is  in  vain  to  expect  a  good  crop  of  woad,  of  a  good  quality, 
from  poor  and  shallow  land.  The  difference  of  produce  and  its  value 
is  so  great,  that  no  one  of  any  experience  will  waste  his  labour 
and  nttcntion  on  such  land,  iipon  so  uncertain  a  produce.  Warm 
and  moist  seasons  increase  the  quantity  every  where,  but  they  can 
never  give  the  principal  which  good  land  affords. 

In  very  wet  seasons,  woad  from  poor  land  is  of  very  little  value. 
I  once  had  occasion  to  purchase  at  such  a  time,  and  found  there 
was  no  possibility  of  regulating  my  vats  in  their  fermentation,  and 
I  was  under  the  necessity  of  making  every  possible  effort  to  obtain 
some  that  was  the  produce  of  a  more  congenial  season.  I  suc- 
ceeded at  last,  but  I  kept  the  other  three  or  four  years,  when  I 
found  it  more  steady  in  its  fermentation ;  but  still  it  required  a 
double  quantity,  and  even  then  its  effect  was  not  like  that  from 
g-ood  woad. 


152 

ne  kaiui  of  woad,  on  good  bni,  aad  In  a  good  aeaflOB,  grosr 
▼erw  hige  and  loog,  aad  wbca  the j  aie  ripe,  shov  near  Ibeir  end 
a  farovauh  spot,  viiile  ottfaer  paiti  of  tfbe  lear^n  aw^"  S'bc"'*  I>^ 
jot  begiaung  to  tiini  of  a  noie  jdknrisii  sliade :  and  they  most 
be  gaflMved,  or  tli^  wfSk  be  injnei. 

Woad  B  to  be  gatbered  finm  tvioe  to  fimr,  and  even  fire  times 
la  ffae  fjeason,  as  I  once  expenenoed,  (it  was  an  earij  and  a  late 
season)  and  iM- the  next  spriag  I  saored  an  acre  for  seed,  of  which 
I  hada&irciopu.  I  |nclDBd  the  yonng  seedling  i^iioats  of*  the  rest^ 
and  nixed  witik  mf  fint  gathering  of  what  was  newly  sown ;  this 
wasTcrygood.  During  one  season  I  let  thoe  grow  too  long;  the 
conseqnenoe  was,  tint  tiiefibroos  parts  became  hke  so  many  sticks, 
andaflSndedno  joioes.  When  yon  design  to  plant  woad  on  the 
^me  land  the  second  season,  it  dionld,  soon  afto*  your  last  gatiber- 
ii^,  b^bte  winter  is  finjAed,  be  plo«^;hed ;  that  is,  as  soon  as  the 
wother  wiD  pooit,  and  in  deep  fnnvws  or  ridges,  to  expose  and 
ameliarate  it  by  die  TcgetatiTe  salts  that  exist  in  the  atmoGphere, 
and  by  fiost  and  snow.  Tlik,  in  some  seasons,  has  partly  the  eSoct 
ofachangeofpiodnoe,bntifiatendediforvi^eat,  the  last  gather- 
lug-  ^oold  not  be  later  €ban  September. 

The  land,  aller  woad^  is  always  clean,  and  the  natore  of  the  soil 
appeals  to  be  danged  in  lb,vaar  of  the  wheat  crop :  lor  I  haTe  al- 
ways experienced  abundant  increase  of  ptodooe  afber  wosd,  and 
idiamwed  that  it  held  on  fin*  some  time^  if  proper  chaises  were  at« 
tended  to,  and  good  hnsbandnr. 

Woad.  when  gaflicivd,  is  carried  to  the  mm  and  gioand. 


mOls  grind  and  cat  tibe  leaves  snsaB,  and  then  they  ace 
mto  heaps,  where  they  fiennent,  and  gain  an  adheErre  oonsis- 
tenoe;  they  are  then  fbnned  into  balb,  as  compact  as  possible,  and 
pboed  on  hnidles,  lyii^  in  a  shed,  one  oro-  die  other,  with  room 
Cor  air  between,  to  receive  from  the  atnMHphere  a  priDct}de 
whidi  is  said  to  hiqirorc  them  as  a  dye.  as  weS  as  to  dry  diem  tcT 


153 

a  degree  proper  for  being-  fermented  ;  but  in  summer  these  ballK 
are  apt  to  crack  in  drying,  and  become  fly-blown,  when  thousands 
of  a  peculiar  maggot  generate,  and  eat,  or  destroy  all  tliat 
is  useful  to  the  dyer.  Therefore,  they  require  attention  as 
soon  as  tliey  are  observed  to  crack,  lo  look  them  all  over  well, 
close  them  again,  so  as  to  render  them  as  compact  and  solid  as 
possible  ;  and  if  the  maggot  or  worm  has  already  generated,  some 
fine  flour  lime  strewed  over  it  will  destroy  them,  and  be  of  much 
service  in  the  fermentation.  These  balls,  if  properly  preserved, 
will  be  very  heavy ;  but  if  worm  eaten,  they  will  be  very  light  and 
of  little  value.  They  are  then  to  be  replaced  on  the  hurdles,  and 
turned,  not  being  suiFered  to  touch  each  other ;  until  a  month  or 
more  after  the  whole  that  is  intended  for  one  fermenting  couch,  is 
gathered  in,  ground,  and  balled.  And  often  not  until  the  hot  wea- 
ther of  summer  is  past,  to  render  the  oifensive  operation  of  turning 
it,  when  in  the  couch,  less  disagreeable,  and  not  so  apt  to  overheat, 
and,TJlough  temperature  herein  is  necessary,  yet  a  certain  degree 
of  heat  must  be  attained,  before  it  is  in  a  proper  condition  for  the 
dyer's  use.  This  is  easily  distinguished  by  a  change  of  smell,  from 
that  which  is  most  putrid,  and  offensive,  to  one  which  is  more  agree- 
able and  sweet,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  term ;  for  few  people  at 
firsts  either  can  approve  of  the  smell  of  woad,  or  a  woad  vat ;  though, 
when  in  condition,  it  became  quite  ag-reeable  to  those  whose  busi- 
ness it  is  to  attend  the  vats.  Woad  is  in  this  state  of  fermentation 
more  or  less  time,  according  to  the  season,  and  the  degree  of  heat 
it  is  suffered  to  attain,  whether  at  an  early  period,  or  according  to 
the  opinion  of  those  who  attend  the  process  ;  but  the  best  woad  is 
produced  from  a  heat  temperately  brought  forward  in  the  couch, 
until  at  maturity,  and  turned,  on  every  occasion  necessary,  which 
a  proper  degree  of  attention  will  soon  discover. 

The  balls,  when  dry,  are  very  hard  and  compact,  and  require  to 
be  broken  with  a  mallet,  and  put  into  a  heap,  and  watered  to  a  due 
degree,  only  sufficient  to  promote  fermentation,  but  too  much  mois- 
ture would  retard  it ;  and  here  is  a  crisis  necessary  to  be  attended 
to.  When  the  couch  has  attained  its  due  point,  it;  is  opened,  spread? 


164 

and  turned,  until  reg-ularly  cooled,  and  then  it  is  considered  in  cou- 
dition  for  sale ;  but  the  immediate  use  of  woad,  new  from  the  couch, 
is  not  adWsed  bv  dyers  who  are  experienced ;  for  new  woad  is  not 
so  regular  in  its  fermentation  in  the  blue  vat.  This  is  the  common 
process.  Woad  oftentimes  is  spoiled  herein,  by  people  who  know 
nothing  of  the  principles  of  its  dye,  following-  only  their  accustomed 
process  of  preparing  it ;  and  hence  the  difference  in  its  quality  is 
as  often  seen,  as  it  is  in  the  real  richness  or  poverty  of  its  leaves, 
from  the  quality  of  the  land.  The  process  for  preparing  woad  which 
I  have  followed,  and  which  I  consider  beyond  all  comparison  best, 
is  as  follows : 

Gather  the  leaTCs,  put  them  to  dry,  and  turn  them,  so  as  not  t« 
let  them  heat,  and  so  be  reduced  to  a  paste,  which  in  fine  weather 
children  can  do.    In  wet  weather  my  method  was  to  carry  them  to 
my  stove,  and  when  I  had  got  a  sufficient  quantity  dry,  I  proceed- 
ed to  the  couch,  and  there  put  them  in  a  large  heap,  where,  if  not 
too  dry,  they  soon  began  to  ferment  and  heat.     If  too  wet,  they 
would  not  properly  ferment,  nor  readUy  become  in  condition  for 
the  dyer.     These  leaves,  not  having  been  ground,  nor  placed  in 
balls  on  the  hurdles,  their  fermenting  quality  was  more  active,  and 
required  more  attention,  and  also  the  application  of  lime  occasion- 
ally, to  regulate  the  process  with  the  same  kind  of  judgment  as  is 
used  in  the  blue  dying  woad  vat.      When  the  heat  increases  too 
rapidly,  turaing  is  indispensibly  necessary,  and  the  application  <rf 
very  fine  flour  lime,  regularly  strewed  over  every  laying  of  them ; 
©r,  if  the  couch  is  getting  too  dry.  lime  water,  instead  of  cx>mnMn 
water,  applied  by  a  watering  pot,  may  have  an  equal  effect,  with- 
©ut  loading  the  woad  with  the  gross  matter  of  tlie  lime ;  though  I 
conceive  that  the  gross  dry  flour  lime,  and  the  oxygen  of  the  air, 
will  furnish*  more  carbonic  acid  gas  to  the  woad,  and  retain  such 


*  The  lime  is  dry  slacked,  and  is  used  before  it  can  have  absorbed 
carbonic  acid  gas  Therefore,  Mr.  Parish  must  have  been  mistaken  io 
the  theory  of  this  operation.  The  oxygen  of  the  ainiosphere  coipl'ine? 
Tvith  the  colouring  matter  of  woad  while  fermenting,  and  carbonic  acid 


155 

prmciples  as  are  essential  to  a  better  effect.  For  I  have  expcrir 
enced,  that  woad  which  requires  the  most  lime  to  preserve  a  tem- 
perate decree  of  fermentation,  and  takes  the  most  time,  is  the  best . 
so  that  at  length  it  comes  to  that  heat  which  is  iadispensible  for  the 
production  of  good  woad. 

In  this  couch  it  is  always  particularly  necessary  to  secure  the 
surface  as  soon  as  the  leaves  begin  to  be  reduced  to  a  paste,  by 
rendering  it  as  smooth  as  possible,  and  free  from  cracks.  This 
prevents  the  escape  of  much  carbonic  acid  gas,  (which  is  furnish- 
ed by  the  lime*  and  the  fermentation,)  and  also  preserves  it  from 
the  flies,  maggots,  and  wonns,  which  often  are  seen  in  those  parts 
where  the  heat  is  not  so  great,  or  the  lime  in  sufficient  quantity 
to  destroy  them.  It  is  surprising  to  observe  what  a  degree  of  heat 
they  will  bear.  This  attention  to  rendering  the  surface  of  the 
couch  even  and  compact,  is  equally  necessary  in  either  process ; 
and  also  to  turning  the  wood  exactly  as  a  dung-heap,  digging  per- 
pendicularly to  the  bottom.  The  couching  house  should  have  an 
even  floor,  of  stone  or  brick,  and  the  walls  the  same;  and  every 
part  of  the  couch  of  woad,  should  be  beaten  with  the  shovel,  and 
trodden,  to  render  it  as  compact  as  possible. 

The  grower  of  woad,  should  erect  a  long  shed  in  th  e  centre  of 
his  land,  facing  the  south,  the  ground  lying  on  a  descent,  so  as  to  ad- 
mit the  sun  to  the  back  part ;  and  here  the  woad  should  be  put  down 
as  gathered,  and  spread  thin  at  one  end,  keeping  children  to  turn 
it  towards  the  other  end ;  therefore  it  will  be  necessary  to  know- 
how  long  the  shed  should  be ;  but  this  can  be  erected  as  you 
gather,  and  then  it  will  soon  be  known. 


gas  is  a  product  of  fermentation  ;  consequpntly,  the  lime,  instead  of 
supplying  that  gas,  facilitates  and  regulates  the  operation,  by  combin- 
ing with  it. 

*  It  is  tinily  surprising  how  readily  persons,  oikenvise  correct,  can 
produce  theories  so  absurd.  Unburnt  Ifme  stone  is  a  carbonate,  but 
wheu  burnt,  and  fresh  slacked,  it  does  uot  aSoru  carbonic  acid  gas  ;  bo- 
will  enter  into  combiualion  with  it  very  greedily. 


156 

Good  woad,  such  as  the  richest  land  produces,  if  properly  pre- 
pared, ivill  be  of  a  blackish  g^reen,  and  mouldy;  anduhen  small 
lumps  are  pulled  asunder,  the  fracture  and  fibres  are  brown  ; 
and  the  more  stringy  they  are,  and  tlie  darker  the  external  ap- 
pearance, and  greener  the  hue,  the  better  the  woad ;  but  poor 
land  produces  it  of  a  light  brownish  green.  The  fibres  only  serve 
to  show  that  it  has  not  suffered  by  putrifaction. 

For  the  use  of  the  dyer,  the  bails  require  a  further  preparation^ 
They  are  beaten  with  wooden  mallets,  on  a  brick  or  stone  floor, 
into  a  gross  powder,  which  is  heaped  up  in  the  middle  of  the  room, 
to  the  height  of  four  feet,  a  space  being  left  for  passing  round  the 
sides.  The  powder  moistened  with  water,  ferments,  grows  hot, 
and  throws  out  a  thick  ;^ad  fetid  fume.  It  is  stioyelled  backward 
and  forward,  and  moistened  every  day  for  twelve  days  ;  after 
which  it  is  stirred  less  frequently,  without  watering,  and  at  length 
made  into  a  heap  for  the  dyer. 

Such  is  the  account  which  has  been  published  of  the  manner 
of  raising  woad,  and  manufacturing  the  plant  by  Mr.  Paiish.  I 
was  well  acquainted  with  Mr.  P.  he  was  an  excellent  dyer  and 
made  a  great  many  experiments  ;  and  his  process  of  making  woad, 
was  much  spoken  of  by  other  dyers  as  bemga  great  improvement. 
It  serves  to  show  that  a  considerable  latitude  may  be  observed  in 
the  process,  without  injuring  the  article  ;  and  this  will  be  further 
proved  in  my  own  process,  as  follows  : — 

The  land  on  which  I  raised  woad  in  Providence,  Rhode-Island, 
was  none  of  the  strongest,  though  it  was  in  tolerable  good  condi- 
tion, and  I  had  it  well  manured.  It  was  ploughed  twice,  and  bar-!- 
rowed  ear.h  time  The  seeds  were  planted  in  bills  about  three  feet 
apart,  five  seeds  in  each  hill ;  Ibis  was  done  as  early  as  tbe  season 
would  permit,  and  it  came  up  very  fine,  scarcely  a  seed  failing. 
To  facilitate  the  planting,  I  had  a  board  cut  four  feet  in  length,  and 
nine  inches  wide :  at  or.v  end  I  put  ia  five  ?.hn^i  peers,  that  prr.ject 
ed.  two  inches  from  the  board  on  the  underneath  part,  the  peg* 


157 

being-  four  inches  apart.  A  handle  was  inserted  in  the  middle  of 
the  board,  of  sufficient  length  to  enable  the  person  who  worked 
with  it  to  stand,  upright ;  by  this  means  he  could  walk  over  the 
ground  measuring  the  distance  as  he  went  along,  at  the  same 
time  that  he  made  the  holes  for  the  seeds,  and  this  he  was  ena- 
bled to  do  as  fast  as  two  persons  could  plant  them. 

The  wire  worm  destroyed  a  few  of  the  plants  at  first,  but  these 
I  soon  got  under,  by  looking  after  and  killing  them  mornings, 
and  by  working  in  fresh  slacked  lime  around  those  hills  that  had 
not  been  attacked.  The  plants  were  kept  clean  by  hoeing,  and 
they  grew  very  rapidly.  Tke  first  crop  was  ripe  by  the  latter  end 
of  June,  I  had  it  gathered  and  spread  on  all  the  unoccupied  floors 
of  tlie  factor)',  and  on  sheets  out  doors,  where  it  lay,  and  was  turn- 
ed, until  half  dry,  when  it  was  conveyed  to  the  dye-house,  and 
there  cut  with  sharpened  spades  in  tubs,  until  it  was  sufficiently 
adhesive  to  work  into  balls  ;  these  were  made  with  the  hands, 
and  were  laid  to  dry  on  a  large  floor  over  the  steam  engine.  In 
the  early  part  of  the  drying,  maggots,  from  fly-blows,  were  engen- 
dered in  great  numbers,  and  I  was  much  troubled  to  keep  them 
under ;  to  effect  this,  I  rolled  them  in  fine,  fresh  dry  slacked  lime» 
and  it  never  failed  to  destroy  them.  When  I  had  dry  balls  enough, 
they  were  put  in  hogsheads,  and  pounded  in  as  close  as  possible, 
and  covered  down.  When  a  hogshead  was  filled,  I  had  them  close- 
ly covered,  until  the  cool  weather  of  autumn  would  permit  their 
being  fermented  with  safety,  when  all  the  crops  were  mixed  to- 
gether. 

I  had  five  crops  off*  the  land  that  season,  and  another  in  the  fol- 
lowing spring ;  for  the  plants  grew  veiy  rapid  after  the  first  crop- 
ing,  which  were  much  increased  by  plentiful  showers  happening 
to  fall  immediately  after  each  gathering.  When  the  leaves  are 
nearly  ripe,  a  round  ring  will  appear  near  their  ends,  and  a  pur- 
ple spot  in  the  interior  of  the  ring  ;  soon  as  these  assume  a  brqwo- 
ish  hue,,  the  leaves  must  be  gathered, 

14 


1.38 

It  must  be  observed,  that  I  laboured  under  every  disadvantage 
in  manufacturing  the  woad,  so  as  to  make  it  fit  for  dying ;  the 
crops  were  good,  and  considering  the  quality  of  the  land,  and  other 
impediments,  it  worked  better  than  I  had  any  reason  to  expect. 
Having  made  it  myself,  I  was  not  restricted  in  the  consumption^ 
and  I  made  up  for  the  quality  by  using  an  additional  quantity. 

I  have  seen  a  good  deal  of  woad  raised  and  manufactured  in 
England,  and  I  am  convinced,  that  where  land  of  the  first  rate 
quality  can  be  obtained,  and  proper  attention  be  paid  to  cultivating- 
and  manufacturing,  it  may  be  raised  and  made  in  this  country  in 
the  utmost  perfection.  It  is  an  annual  crop,  well  worth  the  at- 
tention of  any  enterprising  American  farmer,  who  has  land  of  the 
quality  wanted,  and  sufficient  capital  to  erect  sheds  and  machinery 
for  working  it.  The  mill  used  for  grinding  the  leaves,  is  like  the 
cider-mill  that  grinds  with  a  rolling  stone,  or  iron  ring,  in  a  circu- 
lar trough,  with  this  difierence,  that  the  woad-mill  has  knives  fol- 
lowing the  roller,  which  cuts  the  plant  as  it  moves  round :  this,  with 
a  shed,  and  a  couching  room,  are  all  that  is  needed  to  commence 
the  business. 

The  demand  for  woad  will  be  improving  as  the  manufactures  in- 
crease ;  and  those  who  have  been  using  the  ash  vat,  are  changing 
for  the  woad  dye,  this  also  will  increase  the  demand.  There  is 
none  made  in  the  country  at  the  present  time,  in  a  regular  wa}',  so 
that  any  person  who  will  undertake  to  establish  the  business,  and 
make  an  uniform  prime  article,  may  calculate  on  its  becoming  an 
object  of  considerable  magnitude,  attended  with  a  liberal  re- 
muneration. 


ON  THE  WILD  INDIGO  PLANT  AS  A  SUBSTITUE 
FOR  WOAD. 

THE  wild  indigo  plant  growing  every  where  in  this  country 


159 

©light  to  be  broug:ht  into  use  for  the  blue  dje.  I  gathered  some  iii 
the  fall  of  18-21,  too  late  in  the  season  to  obtain  it  in  maturitj',  and 
had  it  boiled,  and  used  the  liquor  in  place  of  swill  from  bran  and 
madder,  to  assist  the  fermentation  of  the  vats.  The  plants  were 
too  old  to  retain  much  of  those  succulent  juices  in  which  their 
value  chiefly  consist,  yet  they  answered  far  beyond  my  expecta- 
tion; for  the  liquors,  so  long  as  I  was  enabled  to  supply  them  with 
it,  worked  much  more  freely  and  more  vigorously  than  in  the  usual 
way ;  and  although  this  experiment  was  not  decisive,  for  want  of 
a  sufficient  quantity,  and  from  the  plant  being  too  old  when  gather- 
ed, yet  I  am  convinced,  by  the  effect  produced,  that  it  might  be 
used  to  considerable  advantage.  In  Bancroft's  first  volume  on  per- 
manent colours,  this  article  is  noticed  as  follows; 

"  It  is  well  known,  according  to  Mr.  Clarkson,  that  the  African 
dyers  are  superior  to  those  of  any  other  part  of  the  globe. 

"  The  blue  is  so  much  more  beautiful  and  permanent,  than  that 
which  is  extracted  from  the  same  plant  in  other  parts,  that  many 
have  been  led  to  doubt  whether  the  African  cloths  brought  into 
England  were  dyed  with  indigo  or  not.  They  apprehended,  that 
the  colours  in  these,  must  have  proceeded  from  another  weed,  or 
have  been  an  extraction  from  some  of  the  woods  which  are  cele- 
brated for  dying  there.  The  matter,  however,  has  been  clearly 
ascertained  :  a  gentleman  procured  two  or  three  of  the  bales,  which 
had  been  just  prepared  by  the  Africans  for  use  :  he  brought  them 
home,  and  upon  examination,  found  them  to  be  the  leaves  of  indi- 
go rolled  up  in  a  very  simple  state." 

As  this  plant  is  found  every  where  in  the  United  States,  and  in 
many  places  in  great  abundance,  it  would  be  well  to  have  some 
experiments  made  on  it  to  test  the  superiority  of  the  colour  at- 
tributed to  it ;  and  if  it  should  be  found  to  possess  the  qualities  as- 
cribed to  it,  of  which  there  appears  to  be  but  little  room  for  doubt, 
it  would  become  an  object  of  great  national  importance,  inas- 
much, as  the  colour  made  from  it  would  be  superior  to  those  ob- 


160 

^Ded  from  Europe,  and  thereby  give  to  the  American  fabrics  a 
•-reference  in  the  blue  dye,  in  which  they  are  now  decidedly  de- 
ficient. 

I  apprehend  these  balls  are  made  by  simply  placing  the  leaves 
ixjgether  face  ways  as  they  are  gathered ;  that  when  a  ball  is  made, 
it  ferments  and  exudes  sufficient  Koister  to  cause  an  adhesion  of 
the  mass ;  and  that  this  process  developes  the  colouring  matter,  so 
as  to  enable  the  vat  to  extract  it  with  sufficient  facility. 

The  indigo  made  from  the  wild  plant,  is  said  to  be  of  much  bet- 
er  quality  than  that  which  is  obtained  from  the  cultivated ;  but 
'aat  the  former  does  not  afford  so  great  a  quantity  as  the  latter. 


ON  AIVIERICAN  DYE  DRUGS. 

THERE  are,  no  doubt,  a  great  number  of  dying  drugs  in  this 
country,  which  if  known,  might  become  valuable.  It  is  much  to 
be  regretted,  that  some  institution  does  not  exist  in  this  country 
0  test  and  bring  to  notice  its  native  colouring  matters.  In  the 
tiands  of  a  practical  and  theoretical  dyer,  many  valuable  disco- 
veries might  be  made  of  new  dyes  now  lying  dormant  Many  of 
them  might  be  used  to  advantage  by  the  dyers  of  this  country,  and 
also  become  objects  of  some  magnitude,  as  exports.  It  would  re- 
quire an  appropriation  of  two  or  three  thousand  dollars  per  annum 
to  effect  the  object-  and  I  should  apprehend,  that  five  years  would 
be  sufficient  to  test  all  the  colouring  matters  of  the  United  State«. 

I  am  at  present  acquainted  with  only  four  native  dye  drugs,  the 
aumac,  the  ydJow  bark,  the  bark  of  the  swamp  maple,  and  the  al- 
der bark.  The  two  last  not  being  generally  used  here,  I  shall  de- 
scribe their  properties— of  the  first,  I  need  say  nothing  more  than 
that  for  colouring  o(  black,  or  tanning  morocco  skins,  it  is  not  half 
ro  good  as  the  Sicilian:  particularly  for  bine  blacks,  as  the  A  me- 


161 

1  ican  works  much  browner,  and  does  not  produce  any  thing  hke 
as  much  colour,  weight  for  weight. 

The  alder  is  found  plentifully  in  swampy  places ;  it  is  generally 
of  small  growth,  and  has  a  motly  nut-brown  bark ;  the  sticks  are 
cut  in  tlie  month  of  April,  or  the  beginning  of  the  month  of  May, 
according  to  the  climate  and  seasons  when  the  sap  runs ;  the  bark 
is  stripped  off  soon  as  cut,  (which  is  easily  done  by  children,}  and 
is  dried  in  the  shade,  when  it  is  fit  for  use.  The  poles  make  very 
good  bean  sticks,  or  excellent  fire-wood.  This  bark,  when  the 
colouring  matter  is  strong,  produces  a  brownish  drab  with  alum, 
and  a  light  forest  drab  when  only  a  small  quantity  is  used.  When 
employed  in  the  black  dye,  it  increases  the  body  of  the  colour, 
even  more  than  sumac,  and  is  equally  durable. 

The  bark  of  the  swamp,  or  scarlet  flowering  maple,  is  said,  by 
Doctor  Bancroft,  to  possess  all  the  good  dying  properties  of  nut- 
galls,  with  a  less  portion  of  extraneous  precipitants.  I  have 
tried  this  bark,  and  am  convinced  of  its  being  a  valuable  colour- 
ing matter,  for  the  black  dye,  and  for  pearl  drabs.  Its  extract 
gives  a  strong  blackish  purple  with  copperas,  in  body  equal  to 
that  from  nut-galls,  and  the  colour  looks  brighter  and"  clearer  j 
but,  like  every  thing  else,  it  requires  much  experience  to  ascer- 
tain the  quantity  necessary  to  produce  the  best  effect.  1  would 
strongly  recommend  the  American  dyers  to  bring  it  into  use  :  le< 
them  first  employ  as  much  of  it  as  of  gall-nuts,  and  increase  gra- 
dually, until  they  find  what  quantity  will  produce  the  best  effect. 

The  saw-dust  of  the  wiiite  oak,  gives  the  best  and  most  perma- 
nent body  to  blacks,  of  any  material  I  have  ever  used,  and  is  not 
so  apt  to  turn  brown,  as  sumac,  oak  bark,  or  any  other  material  in 
common  use.  It  requires  about  twelve  pounds  of  oak  saw-dust  to 
twenty  yards  of  broad-cloth,  weighing  twenty-four  pounds,  or 
lialf  the  weight  of  the  cloth.  The  purple,  given  by  the  saw-dust, 
is  finer  than  that  which  is  obtained  from  nut-galls,  or  the  swamp- 
maple  bark,  and  is  highlv  permanent.     It  is  not  improbable,  tKa- 


162 

the  saw-dust  of  the  swamp-maple,  would  be  still  better  than  that 
of  the  oak. 

There  is  an  acid  in  wood,  called  the  pyrolig-neous,  which  is 
much  used,  when  combined  with  iron,  for  dying-  and  printing-  of 
black  on  cotton.  It  is  highly  probable,  that  when  oak,  or  other 
saw-dust  is  boiled,  this  acid  is  extracted,  and  operates  in  produ- 
cing- the  colour,  in  addition  to  the  purple  obtained  as  a  colouring 
matter ;  for  it  is  well  known,  that  pyroligneate  of  iron,  is  the 
best  mordant  used  in  the  black  dye. 


ON  COVERING  THE  LISTS  OF  CLOTH   WITH  WEBB- 
ING TO  J»REVENT  ITS  TAKING  COLOUR. 

CLOTH,  intended  for  scarlet,  or  any  other  cochineal  colour,  is 
ihvaysgirt-webbcd,  to  prevent  the  lists  from  taking  the  dye,  as  it 
would,  being  heavy  and  coarse,  absorb  much  of  the  cochineal. 
This  operation  is  performed  with  thick  cotton,  or  linen  webbing, 
which,  being  doubled  to  half  its  breadth,  is  then  wide  enough  to 
enclose  tlie  list  when  rolled  up.  The  webbing  is  put  round  the 
]ist,  so  as  to  enclose  it  all,  and  is  sewn  on  with  small  twine,  pass- 
ug  through  the  cloth  close  to  the  list,  and  drawn  tight  over  both. 
The  stitches  are  about  one-fifth  of  an  inch  apart,  when  the  list  is 

•  overed,  merely  to  save  cochineal;  but  in  other  colours,  when  it  is 
intended  to  deceive' the  purchasers,  by  making-  them  believe  the 

♦  loth  has  been  wool-dyed,  it  is  sewn  on  very  close,  and  very  even, 
no  thread  being  permitted  to  enter  the  cloth,  all  of  them  passing 
liirough  the  last  shoot  of  list  next  to  it.  Soon  as  a  scarlet  cloth  is 
finished  colouring,  and  has  been  partly  cleaned  by  the  streamers, 
it  is  put  on  a  slatted  scrave,  tliat  has  been  covered  with  a  clean 
^vhite  cloth,  and  the  girt-webbing  is  taken  off.  This  is  performed 
i>y  women,  who  draw  the  threads  out  with  hooks.  After  it  is  tJ-kcn 
«fF,  both  the  thread  and  webbing  are  well  washed  and  hung  up  to 
dry  for  further  use. 


]6S 


ON  THE  CHOICE  OF  VESSELS  FOR  COLOURING 
SCARLET,  AND  OTHER  COLOURS,  AND  OF 
FURNACE-BASKETS  AND  REELS,  &c. 

SCARLETS  may  be  coloured  with  safety,  in  vessels  constructed 
either  of  brass,  copper,  or  block-tin.  When  done  in  brass  or 
copper  v^essels,  they  must  be  kept  very  clean,  and  the  liquor  must 
never  be  permitted  to  remain  in  the  furnace  after  a  day's  colouring 
is  finished.  When  a  furnace  is  made  of  block-tin,  it  will  have  to 
be  very  stout,  particularly  at  the  bottom,  and,  when  the  fire  is 
drawn,  after  a  day's  cooling",  the  liquor  in  the  furnace  will  have  to 
be  cooled  down,  and  the  fire  drawn  some  time  before  it  is  emptied, 
otherwise  the  bottom  of  the  furnace  will  be  liable  to  fall  down  and 
ruin  it. 

For  dying  of  scarlet,  and  other  bright  and  delicate  colours,  they 
have  baskets  made  to  fit  the  furnace,  to  prevent  the  goods  from 
coming  in  contact  with  the  metal  and  being  soiled.  They  are  use<l 
in  England  for  almost  every  colour,  excepting  black.  A  basket  it 
made  to  fit  the  interior  of  the  furnace,  and  to  project  about  two 
inches  above  the  level  of  the  top.  They  are  made  of  willow,  cut 
in  the  spring,  and  peeled  by  machines.  The  basket-maker,  after 
having  made  the  bottom,  and  filled  in  large  willow  rods  all  round 
it,  places  it  in  tiie  furnace,  and  fills  it  up  so  as  to  fit  it,  making  the 
top  very  stifiT and  strong.  To  the  top  of  the  basket,  some  clepu 
white  canvass  is  fastened,  that  reaches  over  tlie  curb  of  the  fur- 
nace, so  that  the  cloth  may  never  come  in  contact  wiili  the  metal, 
or  the  curb. 

The  reel  that  is  intended  for  scarlet,  and  for  other  bright  and 
<3elicate  colours,  mu?t  be  of  wliile  pine  tliat  is  perfectly  free  frcm 
knots  and  other  dof<rf«. 


1B4 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  VATS,  FURNACES,  ^c. 
USED  BY  MANUFACTURERS  AND  DYERS,  AND  ON 
THE  LAYING  OFF  OF  DYE-HOUSES. 

A  DYE-HOUSE  should  be  built  of  stone  or  brick,  and  the  wall 
thick,  to  keep  it  warm  during  the  winter,  and  cool  in  the  summer. 
The  roof  should  be  high,  with  capacious  air  holes  in  it,  over  the 
furnaces,  to  let  out  the  steam  as  fast  as  it  rises.  The  part  contain- 
ing the  blue  vats  should  be  separated  by  a  partition,  and  the  floor 
should  be  higher  than  the  other,  to  prevent  any  of  the  liquor  from 
the  furnaces  running  among  the  blue  wool.  There  should  be  room 
enough  in  the  blue  dye-house,  to  la)-  six  or  eight  wets  of  wool  with- 
out interfering  with  the  workmen.  Over  each  vat  there  should  be 
one  good  light,  nearly  the  width  of  the  vat,  and  leaning  a  little  for- 
ward towards  the  top,  so  as  to  tlirow  the  light  more  on  the  top  of 
the  liqucr,  than  windows  do  that  are  made  after  the  usual  construe, 
tion. 

According  to  Mr.  Cooper's  account,  a  French  blue  vat  is  nine 
feet  deep,  by  five  and  three  quarters  over.  An  English  vat  is  seven 
feet  six  inches  in  depth,  tlie  same  in  diameter  across  the  bottom, 
and  six  feet  on  the  top,  for  wool  dying,  and  five  feet  six  inches, 
when  intended  to  be  employed  exclusively  for  cloth.  It  is  of  very 
little  consequence  what  depth  a  vat  has,  provided  there  be  room 
enough  to  hold  all  the  sediment  collected  during  one  working,  so 
as  it  shall  not  interfere  with  the  goods  dyed.  The  English  vat  has 
in  this  respect  a  decided  preference,  as  it  will  hold  five  hundred 
and  sixty-one  beer  gallons  more  than  the  French  ;  besides,  a  coni- 
cal vat  is  much  better  than  one  that  is  cylindrical,  for,  after  stir- 
ring, the  sediment  will  settle  more  quickly,  and  will  not  be  so  lia- 
ble to  lodge  against  the  rough  sides  ;  and  the  bottom,  when  settled, 
will  be  much  deeper  in  the  French  than  in  the  English  vat,  and 
consequently  more  troublesome  to  rake  up,  as  well  as  to  empty 
when  worked  down. 


165 

The  American  blue  vats  are  manj-  of  them  smaller  at  bottom 
than  at  top,  a  shape  highly  injurious  to  a  woad  vat,  as  I  once  expe- 
rienced. When  a  flue  is  passed  round  a  fire  vat,  it  is  necessary  to 
keep  the  sediment  as  clear  from  the  heated  copper  as  possible,  as 
it  is  very  subject  to  be  burnt,  by  which  the  contents  of  the  vat  are 
soon  destroyed.  This  fact  never  came  under  my  observation  till 
lately,  and,  for  waot  of  experience  in  it,  I  lost  two  vat  liquor^^ 
worth  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars. 

White  pine,  clean  from  knots,  two  inches  and  a  quarter  thick, 
is  used  for  making-  blue  vats,  and  they  are  bound  with  stout  iron 
hoops,  about  three  inches  wide,  driven  on  very  tight,  the  lower  one 
over  the  chine,  and  a  second  about  six  inches  above  it ;  three 
ethers,  making*  five  in  all,  the  last  one  near  the  top,  are  all  that 
are  necessary  to  make  it  very  secure.  When  the  vat  is  put  in  its 
place,  a  puddle  of  strong-,  stiff  clay  should  be  made  under  the  bot- 
tom, on,  and  into  which  the  vat  is  worked,  until  the  space  is  quite 
filled  up  between  the  bottom  of  the  staves  and  the  bottom  of  the 
vat.  To  accomplish  this,  two  or  three  holes  are  bored  in  through 
the  bottom,  to  give  vent  to  the  air  underneath,  which  would  other- 
wise prevent  the  vat  from  sinking  in  the  puddle. 

There  are  three  different  ways  of  heating  the  vat  liquors.  One 
by  turning  it  over  into  a  furnace,  and  when  heated  to  boiling,  re- 
turning it  again  into  the  vat ;  a  second,  by  having  a  part  of  the  vat 
made  of  metal,  and  passing  a  flue  round  it ;  and  tliirdly,  heating  it 
by  steam.  I  shall  describe  each  of  these  operations,  that  those 
who  are  interested  may  make  choice  of  either  one  which  may 
please  them  the  best. 

When  a  vat  liquor  is  bailed  into  another  vessel  to  be  heated,  a 
furnace  must  be  placed  within  a  convenient  distance,  large  enough 
to  hold  rather  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  liquor,  without  being 
quite  full.  Wide  gutters  must  be  provided,  long  enough  to  reacfi 
from  the  centre  of  the  vat  to  the  centre  of  the  furnace,  and  a  pig- 
gin  holding  two  gallons  suspended  on  the  end  of  a  long  pole,  will 


166 

be  wanted,  to  lade  the  liquor  backward  and  forward.  A  vat,  kept 
in  constant  work  with  wool,  will  have  to  be  heated  twice  a  week  ; 
on  Saturdays  and  Wednesdays.  The  liquor  should  be  thrown  over 
in  the  morning-,  after  settling  all  night,  before  stirring,  for  if  this 
be  done  an  hour  or  two  after  stirring,  there  will  be  sufficient  woad, 
and  other  contents  of  the  vat  floating  in  it,  to  burn  against  the  sides 
and  bottom  of  the  copper  ;  and,  as  indigo  is  always  mixed  with  the 
sediment,  some  of  this  will  also  be  burnt.  When  a  liquor  is  in  the 
furnace,  the  fire  should  be  driven  on  rapidly,  until  it  approaches 
to  a  boiling  heat,  and  then  lowered  to  prevent  its  boiling  over, 
which  it  will  do,  as  rapidh"^  as  new  milk.  A  vat  liquor,  when  strong 
in  material,  will  boil  at  about  20-1*^  Fahrenheit,  when  weak  at 
208°.  When  near  boiling,  the  head,  on  being  separated  by  a 
board,  will  close  together  again  instantly.  Two  buckets  of  water 
should  be  kept  standing  by  the  furnace,  ready  to  throw  in  when 
the  head  begins  to  rise  from  boiling ;  the  furnace  door  should  be 
thrown  open,  and  the  fire  raked  out.  After  standing  a  few  minutes-, 
the  liquor  has  to  be  thrown  back  again  into  the  vat. 

When  a  blue  liquor  is  intended  to  be  heated  by  fire,  without 
bailing  it  into  a  furnace,  the  vat  must  be  differently  constructed. 
A  wooden  conical  vessel  must  be  first  made,  six  feet  deep,  seven 
feet  diameter  at  the  bottom,  and  six  feet  on  the  top.  This  vessel 
is  to  be  cut  off  two  feet  from  the  top,  and  a  sheet  of  copper  nailed 
on  the  lower  edge  of  the  upper  piece,  and  the  upper  edge  of  the 
lower  piece.  The  copper  must  be  fastened  on  the  inside,  first 
working  round  the  wood  with  a  circular  plane,  three  inches  from 
each  edge,  and  inserting  two  strips  of  canvass,  well  coated  with 
white  lead,  between  the  wood-work  and  copper,  on,  and  to  which, 
the  latter  should  be  fastened  with  copper  nails,  driven  in  so  close 
that  the  heads  come  nearly  in  contact,  but  not  so  as  to  loosen  them. 
A  fire-place  is  fixed  in  any  part  of  the  circle  that  may  be  most 
convenient,  with  a  grate,  door-frame,  &c.  and  is  placed  five  or  six 
inches  lower  than  the  copper  round  the  vat.  A  brick  flue  is  built 
round  the  copper,  which  commences  where  the  fire  enters,  and  con- 
tinues to  the  other  extreme  of  the  circle,  where  the  snjioke  enters 


167 

a  chimnev,  and  is  conveyed  off.  The  flue  round  a  vat  should  be 
ten  inches  wide  at  the  bottom,  and  three  at  the  top,  narrowins:  up- 
wards, in  order  to  facilitate  the  closing  of  it.  There  should  be  two 
thicknesses  of  brick  between  the  flue  and  each  edg^e  of  the  wood- 
work, and  a  good  layer  of  mortar  between  it  and  the  first  layer  Of 
bricks,  to  prevent  the  fire  from  charring  the  vat  at  either  edge. 
It  is  better  to  leave  a  space  of  half  an  inch,  or  more,  between  the 
last  course  of  bricks  and  the  upper  edge  of  the  vat,  so  as  to  make 
it  perfectly  secure  against  fire. 

I  observed  that  the  grating  on  which  the  fire  is  built,  should  be 
placed  five  or  six  inches  lower  than  the  bottom  of  tlie  flue,  round 
the  vat.  This  is  necessary  to  produce  a  draught ;  for,  if  the  fire 
should  be  as  high  as  the  bottom  of  the  flue,  which  is  a  dead  level  all 
the  way  round,  it  would  be  more  likely  to  draw  through  the  mouth 
of  the  fire-place,  than  round  the  vat.  It  would  be  still  better,  if  cir- 
cumstances will  allow  of  it,  to  have  the  fire  twelve  or  fourteen 
inches  below  the  flue,  by  which  the  rapidity  of  the  draught  would 
be  much  increased.  It  is  to  be  observed  on  the  other  hand,  that 
the  more  rapid  the  draught,  the  greater  is  the  liability  of  burning 
the  contents  of  the  vat ;  therefore,  the  greater  caution  is  required 
not  to  put  a  fire  round  it  till  two  or  three  hours  after  the  vat  has 
been  stirred,  when  the  sediment  will  be  suflBciently  settled  to  pre- 
vent any  danger. 

When  a  vat  is  heated  by  steam,  it  is  cut  off"  as  in  the  former 
case ;  but  instead  of  a  sheet  of  copper  between  the  wood  work,  a 
cylinder  of  iron  is  used  three  feet  six  inches  deep,  and  the  same 
diameter  as  the  vat.  It  is  cast  with  two  flanges  of  seven  inches, 
one  near  the  top,  and  the  other  near  the  bottom  of  the  cylinder. 
The  iron  extends  a  few  inches  at  each  end  beyond  the  flanges, 
sufl5ciently  to  secure  the  wood  work  at  the  ends.  The  principal 
use  of  the  flanges  is,  to  insert  a  circle  of  stout  staves  between  the 
two  so  as  to  secure  a  passage  around  the  work  and  iron  cylinder. 
Into  this  passage  the  steam  is  admitted  from  a  boiler,  and  the  con- 
densed water  passes  off  by  means  of  a  syphon,  at  aoy  part  of  the 


168 

circle,  where  it  may  be  most  convenient  to  place  it."  The  staves 
are  fixed  to  tliat  part  of  tlie  iron  which  project  beyond  the  flanges, 
and  the  vat  is  secured  from  leaking;,  by  hoops  outside,  and  by  can- 
vass coated  with  white  lead  on  the  inside.  All  this  contrivance, 
which  is  troublesome  and  expensive,  raig^ht  be  saved,  if  the  steam 
could  be  admitted  into  the  liquor  of  the  vat ;  but  this  has  been 
tried,  and  found  to  fill  up  by  the  condensing"  of  the  steam  to  over- 
flowing". 

As  heating  by  steam  is  tlie  best  way  of  warming  a  blue  vat,  in- 
asmuch as  it  is  cheaper  and  more  secure,  it  is  probable  that  many 
who  now  heat  them  with  fire,  would  make  the  alteration,  if  they 
could  do  it  at  a  small  expense.  To  do  this,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
make  a  flue  round  the  metallic  part  of  any  vat  so  as  to  leave  the 
space  between  the  brick  work  and  metal  of  only  two  inches.  A 
small  well  must  be  left  of  three  inches  in  the  bottom  of  the  flue, 
in  which  the  short  leg  of  a  syphon  is  placed,  the  other  leg  lying 
outside,  by  which  the  water,  when  it  collects  inside  so  as  to  rise 
above  the  bend,  will  run  off.  The  steam  is  let  in  about  half  way 
between  the  bottom  and  top  of  the  flue  through  a  tube  of  two 
inches  diameter.  The  tube  of  the  syphon  need  not  be  more  than 
a  quarter  of  an  inch. 

There  is  much  diflerence  of  opinion  with  respect  to  the  best 
mode  of  heating  a  blue  vat,  some  prefer  heating  by  steam,  or  fire» 
in  the  vessel  containing  the  liquor,  but  the  greater  number  ap- 
prove of  bailing  it  into  a  furnace.  Those  who  use  the  latter  mode, 
ground  their  preference  on  the  belief,  that  the  indigo  works  more 
strongly,  and  produces  more,  and  a  better  colour,  after  it  has  been 
thrown  off  the  spring  and  partially  oxydized  by  bailing,  and  a  de- 
oxydizement  reproduced  by  a  new  fermentation  ;  whilst  those  who 
work  hot  vats  (as  they  are  called,  to  distinguish  them  from  the 
others)  assert  that  the  colour  is  injurcjd  by  this  *too  frequent  a 
change  from  oxydizement  to  deoxydizement.  I  have  worked  both, 
and  altl»ough  the  bailing  be  troublesome  and  expensive,  and  occa- 
sion? Bome  delay  in  the  working,  I  cannot  but  give  it  the  prefer- 
\ 


169 

euce;  having  always  observed,  that  it  worked  more  vigorously 
than  the  hot  vat,  and  produced  upon  the  whole,  a  finer  and  better 
colour.  In  working  a  fire  vat,  it  is  occasionally  necessary  to  throw 
it  over  into  a  furnace  and  boil  it.  I  am  aware  that  this  opinion  is 
in  direct  opposition  to  the  theory  advanced  by  Doctor  Bancroft 
and  Mr.  Berthollet;  but  whatever  respect  I  may  be  inclined  to 
pay  to  such  high  authorities,  yet  theorj',  however  respectably 
supported,  cannot  be  permitted  to  stand  in  competition  with  prac- 
tical facts.  It  is  often  amusing  to  observe  the  extremes  to  which 
mere  theoretical  writers  would  lead  the  practical  artist.  I  do  not 
refer  to  either  of  the  above  named  authors,  their  theory  is  always 
respectable,  and  never  spun  out  into  extreme  applications;  but  an 
American  author  taking  up  the  idea  of  a  vat  being  injured  by 
oxydizement,  has  recommended  to  have  an  opening  in  the  cover 
that  would  just  admit  the  rake,  and  a  lid  to  shut  down  upon  the 
opening,  so  that  the  vat  need  not  be  opened  for  stirring.  He  might 
as  well  have  recommended  us  to  cover  the  earth  with  canvass  to 
promote  the  growth  of  the  tribe  of  fungi,  in  order  to  pamper  the 
appetite  of  an  epicure  in  mushrooms ;  for  as  the  earth,  in  that  case, 
would  be  useless  for  the  common  purposes  of  life,  so  would  a  blue 
liquor  that  required  Such  extreme  caution,  be  useless  for  the  pur- 
pose of  dying. 

^  The  apparatus  that  is  generally  used  in  tliis  country  for  taking 
the  wool  out  of  the  vats,  is  a  wretched  substitute  for  the  old  Eng- 
lish mode.  They  draw  the  wool,  net,  &c.  out  of  the  liquor  by 
means  of  large  pullies,  and  after  draining  some  time,  they  squeeze 
it  with  a  double  lever  fastened  at  one  end  by  means  of  a  chain. 
If  any  thing  can  have  a  tendency  to  injure  the  liquor  by  means  of 
exposing  it  to  the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere,  it  must  be  this.  In 
England  the  wool  is  taken  out  by  means  of  a  jack,  kitt,  trunch 
board,  and  trunch  cloth,  all  of  which  are  moveable,  and  can  be 
applied  to  any  number  of  vats  in  succession,  one  set  doing  the 
work  of  five  or  six  vats.  "When  every  tiling  is  properly  construct- 
ed, the  wool  may  be  wrung  so  dry  as  not  to  damp  the  floor  when 
laying  ia  a  heap.  A  sample  of  this  plan  of  wringing  wool,  may  be 
15 


170 

seen  at  Mr.  Israel  Crane's  factory,  West-Bloomfield,  New-Jersey, 
or  if  any  person  is  desirous  of  employing  them,  I  can  have  a  set 
made  to  order ;  for  I  cannot  give  such  written  instructions  as 
would  be  sufficient  for  a  mechanic  to  make  them  accurately. 


ON  PREPARING  OF  WOODS  FOR  THE  USE  OF 
THE  DYER. 

IN  England  the  dry-salters  first  rasp  the  wood  from  the  log,  and 
tlien  grind  it  under  two  heavy  stones,  that  revolves  round  and 
close  to  the  perpendicular  shaft  by  which  they  are  worked ;  by 
tliis  mode  of  working,  the  stones  have  a  rubbing  friction,  independ- 
ent of  their  weight,  which  facilitates  the  grinding. 

I  was,  when  a  youth,  on  trial  to  tlie  dry- sal  ting  business  for  three 
months,  during  the  time  of  trial,  I  was  entrusted  with  some  of  the 
secrets  of  the  business,  and  among  others  became  acquainted  with 
their  method  of  raising  the  coloiir  of  woods  under  the  stones,  when 
grinding.  Every  preparer  of  dye-wood,  knows  that  it  is  necessary 
to  make  it  damp  when  under  the  stones,  to  facilitate  the  grinding, 
which  is  mostly  done  with  water  in  this  country  ;  but  in  England 
they  damp  their  woods  with  a  preparation  previously  made  for  that 
purpose,  as  follows: 

An  iron  pot  is  two-thirds  filled  with  water,  to  every  gallon  is 
added  two  pounds  of  the  best  crop  madder ;  after  this  has  been 
boiled  two  hours,  pearl-ash  is  generally  added,  two  ounces  to  each 
pound  of  madder ;  tlie  liquor  is  then  boiled  for  half  an  hour,  after 
which  it  is  permitted  to  cool  down  and  the  clear  liquor  taken  oif 
from  the  dregs.  Should  the  water  boil  away  too  much,  add  it  at 
discretion.  Take  the  remaining  dregs,  add  half  a  gallon,  or  more, 
of  water  for  each  pound  of  madder,  boil  one  hour,  and  then  add 
half  the  first  named  quantity  of  pearl-ash.    With  this  tincture, 


171 

diluted  with  water,  or  g-enuine,  the  red  woods  are  moistened  as 
they  are  grinding"  under  the  stones.  Logwood  is  moistened  with 
urine  and  water. 

Tlie  effect  produced,  is  to  raise  the  colour  of  the  woods  ;  and  it 
is  said  by  those  who  practice  it^  that  the^'  will  give  out  more  co- 
louring matter  tlian  when  damped  only  with  water  :  at  all  events 
the  woods  so  prepared  have  a  much  richer  appearance,  than  sam  - 
pies  of  similar  woods  have  in  this  country. 

As  this  is  not  yet  done  in  America,  it  would  be  an  additional 
reason  to  what  has  been  offered  before,  why  an  European  dyer 
cannot  produce  from  his  receipts  exactly  the  same  colour  here 

as  there. 


ON  DYING  FUENACES,  AND  THE  APPARATUS 
TO  WORK  THE  CLOTH,  &c. 

BEFORE  giving  receipts  for  dying,  it  will  be  necessary  to  give 
directions  how  the  cloth  has  to  be  prepared  and  worked,  and  the 
fires  to  be  managed;  for  the  goodness  of  a  colour  depends  as  much 
on  regulating  these  things  correctly,  as  it  does  on  the  materials 
used  to  produce  it. 


TO  PREPARE  THE  GOODS  DYED,  AND  THE  MAN- 
NER  OF  PREPARING  FURNACES,  &c.  FOR  BLACK 
DYING,  TOGETHER  WITH  ALL  PRECAUTIONARY 
PREPARATIONS. 

IN  the  first  place,  the  cloth  has  to  be  well  cleansed  from  all  soap 
and  grease,  by  scouring  it  with  fuller's  earth  as  directed  under 
the  head  scouring  of  cloth,  and  also  washing  the  earth  out  qtiite 


172 

clean.  A  corner  at  the  head  end  of  each  cut  is  then  put  into  it 
blue  vat,  having-  been  previously  wetted  in  hot  water,  and  allowed 
to  remain  in  till  dark  enough  ;  a  portion  of  this  being  tied  up  with 
fine  twine,  will,  when  finished,  leave  a  blue  rose,  and  the  other 
corner  being  tied  up  without  dipping,  will  leave  a  white  rose,  such 
as  are  always  seen  in  European  blacks ;  but  the  manufacturers 
of  this  country  do  not  usually  put  roses  in  their  black  cloth,  nor 
is  there  any  necessity  for  it,  excepting  that  which  arises  from  the 
prejudice  of  purchasers.  The  intention  of  roses  are  to  show  that 
the  cloth  was  not  dyed  any  other  colour  before  it  was  blacked,  and 
that  it  was  previously  dyed  blue,  and  though  it  is  now  well  known 
that  blacks  are  not  woaded  before  dying,  yet  the  practice  is  still 
preserved,  and  American  manufactures  would  do  well  not  to  con- 
tend against  an  established  prejudice. 

The  apparatus  necessary  to  colour  black,  is  first  a  large  winch 
or  reel  with  an  iron  bolt  at  one  end,  and  a  deep  iron  crank  at  the 
other;  tliis  works  on  two  uprights  fixed  in  the  circle,  one  on  each 
and  opposite  sides  of  the  furnace  ;  the  winch  should  run  on  brass 
boxes,  and  be  elevated  for  this  colour  as  much  above  the  liquor  as 
it  can  be,  without  making  the  work  too  tiresome  to  the  person  who 
turns  it.  The  object  in  thus  elevating  the  winch,  is  to  give  an 
opportunity  for  the  iron  to  oxydize  as  it  passes  through  the  atmos- 
phere. I  have  known  dyers  have  the  reel  placed  seven  or  eight 
feet  above  the  furnace,  but  I  believe  without  any  sensible  advan- 
tage. 

The  furnace  for  black  dying  may  be  made,  either  of  sheet  iron, 
or  copper,  and  should  be  lai-ge  enough  for  the  cloth  to  work  in  the 
liquor  without  being  too  much  crowded;  on  tbis  circumstance  will 
principally  depend  the  regularity  of  the  colour;  for  when  too  much 
crowded,  it  is  almost  certain  to  be  uneven.  The  bottom  of  the 
furnace  should  be  turned  up  inside,  so  that  the  outside,  on  which 
the  fire  acts,  may  have  the  appearance  of  a  dome..  This  has  for  its 
object  to  make  the  liquor  boil  with  a  less  quantity  of  fuel,  than  when 
a  flat  or  conical  bottom  ^s  used,  and  also  for  the  conveniency  of 


J73 

Binptying  the  liquor,  as  this  projection  leaves  a  narrow  ridge,  that 
acts  as  a  gutter,  to  carry  the  liquoi-s  to  the  vent  hole.  A  dying 
furnace  should,  in  all  cases,  when  intended  to  be  used  for  colouring 
of  cloth,  belly  out  at  the  centre,  and  draw  in  at  the  top  ;  for  when 
it  is  perpendicular,  and  more  particularly  when  it  widens  towards 
the  top,  the  liquor  will  boil  out  of  the  furnace,  and  endanger  the 
safety  of  the  workmen. 

On  the  outside  of  the  dye-house  a  small  light  reel  should  be 
placed,  five  feet  long,  on  a  stand  four  feet  high,  resting  on  a  large 
slatted  platform,  called  a  scrave.  This  is  intended  to  wind  the 
cloth  from  off  the  furnace  reel  to  the  outside  of  the  dye-house, 
when  it  is  taken  out  to  be  aired.  An  opening,  six  feet  long  and 
nine  inches  high,  is  made  in  the  partition  of  the  dye-house,  when 
of  frame  work,  or  in  the  wall,  when  of  brick  or  stone ;  a  little  be- 
low the  top  of  the  furnace  winch,  and  above  the  winch  placed  on  the 
outside  of  the  dye-house,  on  a  line  that  shall  be  an  inclined  plane 
between  the  two.  In  this  opening  a  small  and  smooth  wooden  roller 
is  placed,  for  tlie  cloth  to  pass  over  from  the  one  winch  to  the 
other. 

In  colouring  of  black,  the  cloth  has  to  be  taken  out  of  the  fur- 
nace, two,  three,  and  on  some  occasions  four  times,  to  air  and  cool, 
or,  more  properly  speaking,  by  exposing  it  to  the  air,  to  give  the 
iron  an  opportunity  of  becoming  oxydized  to  its  maximum.  This 
was  performed,  until  a  few  years  since,  by  winding  the  cloth  out  of 
the  hot  liquor,  upon  the  winch  placed  over  the  furnace,  throwing 
it  off  from  thence  on  to  the  floor,  with  a  stick,  and  then  cooling  it 
b}'  tlirowing  the  cloth  backwards  and  forwards  over  a  pole.  It  is 
cow  done  by  winding  the  cloth  out  of  the  furnace,  by  means  of  the 
apparatus  just  described,  and  when  out,  one  of  the  men  trundles 
it  over  the  winch,  on  the  platform  outside  of  the  dye-house,  while 
another  throws  it  out  with  a  broading  stick,  to  cool  oo  the  platform, 
on  which  the  winch  stands.  The  platform  should  be  about  sixteen 
or  eighteen  feet  long  and  six  wide. 


15 


'i* 


174 

When  cloth  was  wound  on  the  winch,  it  was  erer  IiaibJ€  to  be* 
come  heat-wrinkled,  which  always  injured  the  sale  of  the  goods, 
and  the  plan  of  winding  out  on  a  second  winch  was  adopted,  to  prevent 
the  possibility  of  such  injury.  As  I  am  writing  for  the  purpose  of 
giring  information  to  tliose  who  are  not  supposed  to  be  acquainted 
with  these  casualties,  it  may  be  useful  to  explain  more  particu- 
larly what  heat-wrinkles  are,  and  how  they  are  made.  When 
cloths  that  are  dyed  black,  and  some  other  dark  colours  are  wound 
up  from  the  liquor  on  a  winch,  if  it  lies  but  a  short  time  thereon. 
the  nap  will  become  matted  together  in  narrow  wales  in  all  direc- 
tions on  the  face  of  the  cloth,  and  whatever  pains  may  be  taken 
with  them  afterwards,  they  never  cam  be  removed.  The  wool  is 
apparently  felted  together,  the  points  standing  upright,  and  are  so 
compactly  united  as  to  be  inseparable  by  mechanical  means.  The 
finer  the  cloth,  the  more  liable  it  is  to  become  heat-wrinkled,  and 
very  coarse  cloth  is  seldom  or  ever  damaged  in  that  way,  nor  are 
the  finer  qualities  when  the  temperature  of  the  liquor  is  below 
1 50  degrees,  Fh.  The  liability  to  wrinkle,  is  also  as  the  quantity 
of  copperas  employed  to  produce  the  colour.  The  effect,  there- 
fore, is  as  the  heat  of  the  liquor  and  the  quantity  of  copperas  used 
in  it. 


OX  THE  SETTING  OF  DYE  FURXACES- 

IN  all  furnace  dying,  it  is  an  object  of  importance  so  to  set  the 
lumaces  that  the  liquor  shall  boil  quick  and  with  the  least  possible 
quantity  of  fuel.  To  effect  this,  will  be  the  object  of  the  follow- 
insr  directions.  I  shall  first  describe  the  old  mode  of  setting  fur- 
iiaces,  and  then  the  new,  accompanying  it  with  such  remarks  as 
will  be  necessary  to  elucidate  the  advantages  of  the  latter. 

In  setting  of  large  furnaces,  the  mouth  of  the  fire-place  should 

over  be  situated  on  the  outside  of  the  dye-house  immediately  under 

uie  chimney.    Several  circumstances  render  this  necessary.    First, 

4iat  the  fire  mav  not  be  communicated  to  anv  of  the  combusti- 


175 

bles  insiJe,  sucb  as  floors,  ^c.  nor  make  the  dye-Louse  smoky  to 
the  great  annoyance  of  the  workmen — secondly,  as  it  is  occupy- 
ing- room  that  may  be  better  employed,  and  leaving-  loop  holes 
where  workmen  by  falling  in,  may  as  I  have  sometimes  known,  be 
seriously  injured.  Thirdly,  the  mouth  of  the  furnace  being-  inside, 
the  flues  cannot  well  be  set  without  having-  them  to  wind  twice 
round  the  furnace,  by  which  their  capacity  for  heating,  is  very 
much  lessened. 

The  old  mode  of  setting  large  dying  furnaces,  was  by  having  a 
fire  made  on  narrow  grating  and  carrying  the  brick  work  out  to 
the  shape  of  the  bottom,  so  that  only  the  edge  of  the  furnace  rest- 
ed on  the  brick  work  sufficient  to  support  it,  and  no  more.  At  the 
other  end,  opposite  the  mouth,  the  heat  passed  through  an  oblong 
opening  of  fourteen  by  six  into  a  flue  that  was  open  all  round  the 
furnace  to  the  height  necessary  to  close.  The  flue  was  ten  inches 
wide  at  the  bottom,  and  gradually  lessened  till  it  closed  where  it 
was  only  three  inches.  The  heat  from  the  fire  passed  through  the 
oblong  opening,  and  separated  to  the  right  and  left,  meeting  again 
at  another  vent  that  is  equi-distant  from  each  edge  of  the  former, 
through  which  it  passed  off  into  the  chimney. 

The  modern  mode  of  setting  furnaces,  by  which  much  fuel  is 
saved,  is  au  follows  :  the  grating  is  made,  as  before  described,  but 
the  whole  space  round  the  furnace  is  left  open,  excepting  four 
pillars  for  the  furnace  to  rest  on,  and  a  small  flue  round  the  top, 
with  eight  or  more  apertures  leading  into  it  according  to  the  size 
of  the  vessel,  for  the  purpose  of  dividing  the  flame  and  heat,  so 
as  to  make  the  draft  perpendicular,  or  in  other  words,  to  cause  the 
heat  to  strike  the  furnace  in  straight  lines. 

The  last  mode  of  setting  furnaces,  was  patented  in  England 
about  thirty  years  ago,  by  a  person  of  the  name  of  Lewis.  At 
that  time,  Count  Rumford's  improvement  made  a  great  noise,  and 
I  had  just  then  had  a  large  furnace  set  upon  his  plan,  having  em- 
ployed a  workman  from  London  who  was  at  work  under  the  direc- 


176 

uoa  of  the  Counrs  agent.  I  was  induced  to  g-o  to  that  expense, 
being  fearful  that  country  workmen  would  not  do  it  correctly. 
The  Count's  mode  was  very  complicated,  and  the  setting  very  ex- 
pensiye ;  the  flue  was  small,  and  ran  spirally  round  the  furnace,  a 
damper  was  placed  in  the  throat  of  the  chimney,  a  closer  at  the 
ash  pit,  and  a  small  drafc  door,  on  hing-es,  at  the  centre  of  the  bot- 
tom of  the  furnace  door.  The  alteration  cost  me  more  than  thirty 
pounds,  Stirling,  (nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,)  and  when 
done,  would  never  boil  the  liquor  when  the  clotl)  was  working  in  it, 
so  that  it  had  all  to  be  taken  down  again  and  the  furnace  re-set. 

It  is  very  certain,  notwithstanding  the  Count's  superior  talent 
and  splendid  theory,  that  he  had  altogether  mistaken  the  matter  of 
heat  on  furnaces.  In  setting  them,  his  object  appeared  to  be  to 
confine  the  heat,  expecting  by  that  means  to  drive  it  through  the 
metal  into  the  liquor  inside  of  the  furnace,  than  which  nothing  can 
be  more  erroneous.  It  is  now  well  known,  that  the  heating  power 
of  caloric  is,  as  its  angle  of  incidence,  every  thing  else  the  same ; 
hence  the  reason  why  the  sun  has  so  much  more  power  within  the 
tropics  where  it  is  vertical,  than  in  milder  latitudes,  where  its  inci- 
dental angle  is  more  enlarged.  Just  so  does  heat  operate  under 
furnaces.  When  it  is  brought  up  against  the  bottom  at  right  an- 
gles, its  impinging  power  is  so  much  increased,  as  to  heat  the  liquor 
inside  in  much  less  time,  and  with  a  smaller  quantity  of  fuel  than 
would  be  credited  by  those  who  have  never  experienced  the  difier- 
ence.  Keeping  this  principle  in  view,  we  can  easily  perceive  why 
in  Mr.  Lewis's  mode,  the  water  in  any  given  sized  furnace,  can  be 
made  to  boil  in  one  half  the  time,  and  with  three-eighths  less  of 
fuel,  than  upon  either  the  oU  plan,  or  upon  Count  Rumford's. 

In  every  mode  of  setting  furnaces  prior  to  Lewis's  improvement, 
the  draught  underneath  was  from  the  mouth  to  the  back,  parallel 
with  the  bottom  ;  but  as  the  air  which  supplied  the  fuel  with  oxy- 
gen, was  admitted  from  below,  through  the  bars  of  the  grate,  the 
position  of  the  draught  was  thereby  partially  altered  when  the 
door  was  el(»ed  :  supposing  the  incidental  angle  to  be  a  medium 


177 

between  the  two  operative  draughts,  it  would  imping"e  against  the" 
metal  at  an  angle  of  forty-five,  when  the  door  was  shut  and  at  an 
angle  much  more  extended  when  it  was  open.  Hence  the  reason 
why  a  liquor  boiling  vehemently  with  the  door  closed,  would  cease 
either  partially  or  altogether,  almost  at  the  instant  of  opening  it. 
In  Mr.  Lewis's  improvement,  the  fire  operates  against  the  bottom 
at  right  angles,  impinging  against  it  in  the  best  possible  direction, 
with  all  the  power  that  is  capable  of  being  given  to  it,  thereby 
bringing  it  into  aciion  in  the  best  possible  mode,  and  rendering  all 
future  attempts  at  improvement  unnecessary,  unless  by  an  increase 
of  the  velocity  of  tiie  draught. 

One  other  particular  must  be  attended  to  in  setting  furnaces  for 
dying,  that  the  llue  round  the  furnace  be  closed  so  low  th-at  the  fire 
may  not  reach  above  the  liquor  when  it  boils  down  during  tlie 
operation.  Sjiould  this  ever  occur,  the  cloth  will  be  burnt  in 
patclies,  and  tiie  inexperienced  dyer  will  be  unable  to  account 
for  it. 


OX  BLACK  DYIi^G. 

LV  colouring  of  black,  the  liquor  has,  in  all  cases,  to  be  boiled 
hard  two  hours  previous  to  the  goods  beiiig  entered,  and  cooled 
down  pretty  low  with  cold  water,  before  they  are  put  in.  As  the  re- 
ceipts for  piece  dying  will  be  given  for  oneend,  or  for  a  given  num- 
ber of  ends,  it  will  be  understood,  that  an  end  of  broad  cloth  mea- 
sures twenty  yards,  which  when  cut  to  furnace,  usually  weighs 
about  twenty-seven  or  twenty^-eight  pounds.  Sixty  yards  of  single 
cassimere  is  equal  to  twenty  of  broad  felt,  as  is  forty-four  of  half 
milled,  and  thirty-six  of  double  milled. 

There  are  four  different  and  distinct  colours  in  black,  the  blue, 
the  red,  the  yellow  and  the  jet  black.  It  will  be  necessary  to  keep 
this  distinction  in  view  in  reading  what  follows,  as  well  as  in  the 


178 

practice  of  the  djer;  for  as  it  includes  all  the  primary  variations 
that  can  take  place  in  the  colour,  it  will  have  a  tendency  to  lead 
the  mind  to  the  cause  of  the  difference,  and  thereby  remove  that 
confusion  which  too  many  artists  in  this  line  are  labouring  under. 
The  terms  I  have  used  to  disting-uish  the  different  colours,  require 
no  explanation,  the  blue,  red,  and  yellow  being-  the  dyer's  prima- 
ry colours ;  every  one  must  know,  that  when  either  of  these  pre- 
dominate, the  colour  assumes  that  name.  A  jet  black  is  that  hap- 
py mixture  of  the  three,  in  which  neither  of  them  is  in  excess  so 
as  to  be  visible. 


TO  DYE  EIGUT  ENDS  OF  CLOTH  WEIGHING  220 
rOLWDS,  A  BLUE  BLACK. 

/'V;r  boiling  vse. 

80  pounds  of  cliipped  log-wood  (not  more.) 
12      do.     of  sumac  (not  more  than  sixteen.) 
2  ■    do.     of  peail-ash  (not  more.) 

Let  the  contents  of  the  liquor  be  well  stirred  with  a  rike  after 
the  dye  wares  have  boiled  two  hours.  Cool  down  the  liquor  to 
one  hundred  and  eig-hty  degrees  or  thereabouts — then  enter  the 
cloth  rapidly,  and  give  it  a  few  turns  over  the  reel  as  quick  as 
possible,  having  it  kept  open  all  the  time  by  the  broads-man.  Tlie 
ijre  is  then  to  be  made  up  as  strong  as  possible,  and  no  time  lost  in 
bringing  the  liquor  to  boil.  After  it  boils  out  fairly,  the  time  must 
be  taken,  and  the  boiling  kept  up  for  two  hours,  the  broads  man 
keeping  the  cloth  open  all  the  time.  When  it  has  boiled  two  hours, 
the  furnace  must  be  filled  up  with  cold  water,  the  door  thrown 
open,  and  the  cloth  taken  out  and  cooled  as  before  directed. 
While  this  is  doing,  the  fire  is  made  up,  the  door  closed,  and  th  e 
liquor  brought  to  boil.  Tiie  materials  to  be  added  this  time,  are 
20  pounds  of  copperas. 
4     (\o      of  blue  vitriol  (not  more  than  six.) 


179 

After  the  liquor,  with  these  ing^redients,  have  boiled  five  or  six 
minutes,  the  door  is  to  be  opened,  the  liquor  cooled  down  with 
water  as  before,  and  the  goods  after  well  stirring,  are  to  be  rapidly 
entered.     When  eight  ends  are  done  at  once,  the  reel  must  move 
with  considerable  rapidity  for  the  first  fifteen  minutes,  one  person  be- 
ing employed  to  push  the  cloth  under  the  liquor  on  one  side,  and  ano- 
ther on  the  other  side  to  keep  it  open ;  the  reel  being  kept  turning, 
and  the  cloth  kept  open  during  the  whole  operation.    In  order  to  a- 
void  repetition,  I  must  once  for  all,  inform  the  dyer  that  in  all  piece 
dying,  the  goods  are  to  be  kept  well  opened  by  the  broads-man,  and 
the  reel  briskly  turned  from  the  time  the  cloth  is  entered,  till  it  is 
taken  out ;  for  if  this  be  neglected,  the  colour  will  be  ever  liable 
to  be  uneven.     Immediately  after  the  cloth  is  entered,   the  fire  is 
to  be  made  up,  the  furnace  door  shut,  and  the  liquor  made  to  boil 
as  soon  as  possible.     This  is  understood  to  be  the  first  saddening, 
and  the  boiling  must  not  be  so  strong  as  in  the  first  process..   When 
the  cloth  has  been  in  two  hours,  and  have  boiled  gently,  at  least 
one  hour  out  of  the  two,  take  it  out,   having  previously  cooled  it 
down  with  water,  air  the  cloth  as  before,  till  nearly  cold,  and  bring 
the  furnace  to  boil,  as  directed,'  for  the  last  saddening.     The  ma- 
terial to  be  added  this  time  is  only 

8  pounds  of  copperas, 
which  has  to  be  proceeded  with  as  before,  with  this  difference, 
that,  when  the  saddening  has  been  continued  one  hour,  a  pattern 
is  taken  off  the  lacing  and  scoured  when  the  colour  is  matched 
with  a  good  black  pattern.  If  the  colour  is  not  full  enough,  or  is 
deficient  in  body,  the  saddening  must  be  continued  longer.  If  the 
colour  is  wanted  of  a  greener  hue,  add  one  or  one  and  a  half  pounds 
of  verdigris  in  the  last  saddening.  If  the  body  of  the  colour  is  too 
strong,  lessen  the  quantity  of  copperas,  and  if  too  weak  after  go- 
ing its  full  time  of  two  hours,  add  more.  In  matching  of  colours, 
it  must  be  understood,  that  both  patterns  must  be  either  dry  or 
wet ;  for,  if  one  be  dry,  and  the  other  wet,  there  will  be  many 
shades  of  difference  in  the  colour,  though  they  may  match  when 
both  are  in  one  state. 


180 

This  receipt  «rould  produce  a  bluer  black  by  not  boiling  be- 
tween the  £rst  and  second  and  the  second  and  third  process ;  but  if 
verdigris  is  added  in  the  saddenings,  the  liquor  will  have  to  boil 
before  having  in  the  cloth.  When  verdigris  is  intended  to  be  used, 
it  should  be  weighed  off  and  put  in  soak  in  boiling  water  a  day  or 
two  before  it  is  wanted. 

Many  dyers  who  come  from  England  and  other  countries,  who 
understand  but  little  of  black  dying,  will  prescribe  a  much  greater 
portion  of  ingredients  to  produce  tlie  colour  on  the  same  quantity 
of  gt>ods ;  but  this  must  be  the  result  of  ignorance,  it  having  been 
proven,  that  too  great  a  body  of  colouring  matter  injures  a  black, 
by  making  the  shade  brown,  russetty  and  too  heavy.  To  produce 
a  perfect  colour,  the  copperas  and  colouring  matter  require  to  be 
used  in  certain  proportions,  when  less  colouring  matter  is  used,  a 
'arger  portion  of  copperas  is  necessary,  and  when  more  is  used, 
he  quantity  of  copperas  must  be  diminished. 

The  workmanship  which  I  have  prescribed  for  blacking  with 
this  receipt,  must  be  observed  for  all  others. 

When  a  blacking  is  finished,  the  cloth  should  be  about  half  cool- 
ed, then  divided  into  ends,  and  each  one  folded  up  and  placed  a- 
cross  a  wooden  horse,  where  it  should  lie  till  the  following  mom* 
lag  to  drain,  cool,  and  give  time  for  the  iron  to  oxydize  to  its  maxi- 
mum, before  it  be  washed;  for  if  cleaned  immediately  after  it 
comes  from  the  dye,  the  colour  will  not  be  so  good  as  when  it  has 
laid  twelve  or  sixteen  hours.  The  sun  must  not  be  permitted  to 
shine  on  the  cloth  for  any  length  of  time  between  the  dying  and 
washing.  If  there  be  no  shade  to  put  it  under,  it  should  be  cover- 
ed with  sheets. 

I  hare  divided  this  colour  into  blue,  yellow,  red  and  jet  blacks, 
anci  there  are  innumerable  shades  of  each.  To  produce  these  at 
the  will  of  tliC  workman,  €a.n  only  be  acquired  by  long  practice. 
I  shall  give  receipts  for  each  of  these,  and  the  dyer  who  has  a  know- 
Jedg-e  of  the  business,  can  vary  the  body  and  hue  at  his  pleasure- 


181 


Another  blue  black  for  tv7enty-eight  pounds  of  cloth. 
10  pounds  of  logwood. 
2^     do.     of  sumac. 
1       do.     of  fustic, 
i       do.     of  pearl-ash. 
The  wares  to  boil  two  hours,  run  up,  stir  well,  heave  in  the  cloth, 
and  boil  it  three  hours.     Let  the  furnace  be  now  run  up,  the  cloth 
had  out  and  cooled,  then  add  the  following  ingredients  to  the  liquor, 
only  previously  dissolving  them  in  a  bucket  without  boiling. 
5  pounds  of  copperas. 
i     do.      of  blue  vitriol. 
When  the  cloth  has  been  cooled,  stir  the  liquor  well,  heave   in 
the  cloth,  and  boil  gently  for  four  hours,  then  run  up,  have  it  out. 
throw  it,  till  half  cold,  and  proceed  as  directed  for  the  last  black- 
ing when  finished. 

Another  receipt  for  a  blue  black,  in  which  the  colouring  matter  is 
lessened,  and  the  copperas  increased.  For  boiling  six  ends  of 
broad  cloth  weighing  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds,  use 

30  pounds  of  logwood. 

15     do.      of  sumac. 

3  do     of  pearl-ash. 

Let  the  wares  boil  two  hours,  heave  in  the  cloth,  and  boil  two 
hours  and  a  half;  then  proceed  as  for  the  first  blacking.  For  the 
first  saddening,  use 

16  pounds  of  copperas. 
12     do.      of  ground  logwood. 
6     do.       of  blue  vitriol. 
Boil  two  hours,  and  proceed  as  for  the  first  blacking. 
For  the  second  saddening,  add 

12  pounds  of  copperas. 

4  do.      of  fustic. 

Boil  one  hour,  and  try  a  pattern,  if  not  black  enough,  continue 
boiling  another  hour. 

16 


182 

The  liquor  must  be  boiled  with  the  ingredients  in  both  of  these 
saddening^,  for  twenty  minutes  before  the  cloth  is  put  into  the  fur- 
Dace.  It  is  necessary  in  all  cases  where  dye  wares  are  added  to 
the  liquor  in  the  saddenings,  that  they  should  be  boiled  from  twenty 
to  thirty  minutes  before  the  cloth  is  entered,  or  the  colour  will  be 
uneyea. 


TO  DYE  EIGHT  EXDS,  OR  220  POUNDS  OF  CLOTH 
OF  A  YELLOW  BLACK  APPROACHING  TOWARDS 
A  JET. 

For  the  boiling  use, 
60  poun3s  of  logwood.  * 
16  do.  of  sumac. 
12  do.  of  fustic. 
1  do.  of  pearl-asli. 
The  wares  must  boil  two  hours,  the  cloth  two  and  a  half,  cool 
down,  heaye  out  and  cool  the  cloth. 

For  thejirst  saddening  use. 
20  pounds  of  copperas. 
4  do.  of  blue  vitriol. 
The  ingredients  to  be  dissolved  and  added  without  boiling  the 
liquor,  and  the  cloth  to  boil  two  hours,  then  heaye  out,  &c.  as  be- 
fore. 

For  the  second  saddening  put  in 
25  pounds  of  copperas. 

4  do.  of  fustic. 

The  ingredients  are  to  be  boiled  twenty  minutes,  then  heave 
in  the  cloth  and  boil  one  hour  and  a  half,  heave  out,  cool,  kc. 

Add  for  the  ihird  and  last  saddening, 

5  pounds  of  copperas. 


183 

10  pounds  fustic. 
The  wares  to  be  boiled  twenty  minutes,  and  the  cloth  to  jo  oBe 
liour  and  a  half,  with  boiling  gently  for  half  an  hour. 


TO  DYE   EIGHT  ENDS,   OR   220   POUNDS    OF    CLOTH 
OF  A  RICH  REDDISH  BROWN  BLACK. 

For  the  boiling  use. 
30  pounds  of  log-wood- 
18  do.  of  sumac. 
12  do.  of  fustic. 
4  do.  of  argoL 
6  do.  of  madder. 
2i  do.  of  verdigris. 
Let  ingredients  boil  two  hours  and  the  cloth  run  two  hours,  pro^ 
ceed  as  usual. 

Forjirst  saddening  use. 
22  pounds  of  copperas; 
2  do.  of  sumac. 
2  do.  of  fustic. 
Boil  the  wares  twenty  minutes,  heave  in  the  cloth  and  boil  two 
hours. 

For  the  second  and  last  saddening  use, 
20  pounds  of  copperas, 
2^  do.  of  blue  vitriol. 
2  do.  of  sumac. 
6  do.  of  madder^ 
Boil  the  wares  twenty  minutes,  heave  in  the  clotli  and  boil  it 
gently  till  the  colour  is  rich  enough, 

I  have  before  remarked,  that  when  dying  wares  or  verdigris 
are  added  in  any  of  the  saddenings,  the  liquor  must  always  boil 
tiyenty  or  tbirtv  ininntjra  before  (he  qlofh  is  entered ;  but  wb^ii 


184 

onJj  copperas  and  blue  vitriol  are  added,  it  may  boil  or  not,  attLe 
option  of  the  dyer.  When  put  in  without  boiling  them,  they  inust 
be  previously  dissolred  in  a  bucket,  particularly  the  blue  vitriol 
which  is  very  ditficult  of  solution.  Let  me  here  remark,  that  in 
all  cases  before  the  cloth  is  entered  into  the  furnace,  the  liquor 
:ust  be  well  stirred  with  a  dye-house  rake. 


TO  DTE  TWEXTl -EIGHT  POU>'DS  OF  CLOTH  A  JET 

BLACK. 

For  the  hoiUn^  use, 
]  0  pounds  of  logwood. 
2^  do.  of  smnac. 
2i  do.  of  fustic. 
The  wares  oug-ht  to  boil  two  hours,  and  the  cloth  three,  beavt 
uut  and  cool  as  before. 

S  pounds  oi  copperas. 

i  do.  of  blue  vitriol. 
The  iug^redients  to  be  dissolved  in  a  bucket,  and  added  to  the 
liquor  witiiout  boiling;  the  cloth  to  be  boiled  four  hours,  run  up, 
heave  out,  and  proceed  as  directed  for  the  first  blackii^. 

The  following'  receipt  for  a  jet  black,  answers  better  than  any 
other  I  have  ever  tried.  The  body  is  strong,  the  colour  is  of  a  su- 
perior hue.  and  is  so  perraanen^.  that  it  will  wear  without  c-xangii^ 
as  long  as  ti»e  stoutest  cloth  will  last.  I  once  sold  the  receipt  in 
England,  for  this  process,  for  three  hundred  pounds  sterling. 

For  one  end  -.■,  .^.i.  weighing-  twenty-eight  pounds: — 

1  pound  of  ar^ol,  (crude  tartar.)     Cream  of  Tartar  wail  answer  as 

well. 
i  do.  verdigris:  not  more  than  ten  oances. 

Dissolve  the  verdigris,  bv  puttin°f  it  in  a  backet  taf  baiiiog:  wajLer 


185 

liie  day  before  using'  it.  Bringf  the  furnace  to  boil,  and  boil  the 
materials  one  hour.  Heave  in  the  cloth,  and  boil  it  two  hours., 
then  heave  it  out,  fold  it  up,  and  let  it  lay  twelve  hours  or  more, 
not  exceeding"  two  days.  It  is  then  to  be  washed  in  a  poacher,  and 
a  fresh  liquor  made  for  colouring  it. 

To  colour  to  advantage  with  this  receipt,  there  should  be  two 
furnaces  employed,  one  for  the  above  preparation  liquor,  and  a  se* 
cond  for  finishing ;  for  after  one  lot  has  been  boiled,  if  others  fol- 
low it  in  the  same  liquor,  one-sixth  of  the  above  proportion  of  in- 
gredients may  be  saved,  and  the  liquor  will  not  be  injured  by  being 
kept  for  months,  provided  it  does  not  lay  more  than  a  week  at  one 
time  in  a  cold  state. 

When  the  cloth  has  been  prepared,  as  above  stated,  it  has  to  Ife 
^finished  in  anew  liquor,  as  follows: — 

10  pounds  of  logwood* 
4  do.  of  sumac. 
i  do.  of  fustic. 
1 2  do.  of  white  oak  saw  dust. 
Ijct  the  wares  be  boiled  two  hours,  the  clotli  heaved  in,  and  br>il- 
ed  three  houi-s.     For  the  first  saddening-,  use 
3  pounds  of  copperas. 
Dissolve  and  put  in  the  copperas,  heave  in  the  cloth  and  boil  two 
hours.     For  the  second  saddening,  use 

2  pounds  of  copperas. 
Dissolve  (he  copperas;  heave  in  the  cloth,  and  boil  one  Iiouran'd 
a  half.     Should  any  of  the  colours  be  too  strong  in  body,    use  a 
smaller  quantity  of  logwood,  or  the  same  quantity,  and  less  cop- 
peras. 

For  dying  a  rich  red  black,  take  any  of  the  re<^eipls,  excepting 
those  for  blue  blacks,  leave  out  the  fustic,  and  add  in  place  of  it, 
two  pounds  of  ground  barwood,  and  one  of  alder  bark,  for  ever^' 
twenty-six  pounds  of  cloth,  dividing  these  between  the  saddening?, 
where  there  are  two,  and  add  it  at  once*  wh^re  (here  is  only  ont>.- 

-IG* 


186 

Artef  blacking^,  ^od  the  cloth  has  lain  across  a  wooden  hor^  fo: 
eire  or  fourteen  hdors,  let  it  be  streamed  and  scoared,  according 
the  directions  giren  under  the  bead  scouring  of  cloth. 

To  prerent  the  colour  from  being  cloody  and  uneven,  the  liquor 
must,  in  all  cases,  be  lowered  down  before  the  cloth  is  heaved  into 
the  furnace,  and  it  dlMiold  be  rattled  over  the  reel  as  fast  as  the 
broads-man  can  keep  it  open  for  the  first  quarter  of  an  hour,  and 
the  cloth  should  be  kept  under  the  liquor^  on  the  opposite  side,  the 
same  space  of  time.  It  is  also  essential,  as  I  have  before  stated, 
that  the  cloth  should  be  kept  moving  moderately,  and  opened  dor- 
ii^  the  whole  time  it  is  ID  the  furnace.  It  may  not  be  amiss  to 
repeat  the  precautionary  measure  of  never  crowding  the  cloth  too 
much  in  the  furnace :  the  quantity  of  water  for  one  end  should 
never  be  less  than  one  hundred  and  twenty  g^ons,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  is  still  better. 

After  blaclfs  are  scoured,  shonld  any  of  them  be  too  brown,  or 
liave  i  ru^et  hue.  they  may  easily  be  remedied  as  follows :  bring 
on  a  furnace  of  clear  water  to  a  blood  heat,  and  add  to  it  as  much 
oil  of  vitriol  as  will  give  to  Ihc  water  a  pleasant  sour  taste,  then 
run  ^uvh  colours  in  it,  -until  they  become  of  tlie  hue  wanted,  with- 
out raising*  the  temperature  of  the  liquor.  By  this  simple  process, 
an  brown  blucks  may  be  made  jet,  and  tlie  cloth  will  handle  the 

A^iuough  the  receipts  1  have  given  for  black  are  the  best  thai 
England  af^brJ.  yet  I  would  not  recommend  the  American  dyers  to 
''oflow  tlji^m  !JT:.  licitly.  for  tf»ere  are  many  articles  in  this  country, 

at  misr'jt  be  emp'oyed  to  much  advantage.  Oak  barks,  how- 
ever, ought  never  to  be  employed  in  black  dying,  for  though  a  good 
cirfour  may  l>e  made  from  many  of  tliero,  yet  they  always  wear 
brown,  and  will  turn  of  a  russet  hue  in  a  very  short  time,  particu- 
!ar1v  in  the  summer  season.     Let  them  employ  the  swamp  maple 

rk  -in  place  of  soroac,  and  the  alder  in  lieu  of   fustic     When 

varr-p  maple  bark  is  used,  the  quantity  of  logwood  should  be  dimi- 


187 

nished,  in  as  much  as  this  bark  produces  a  strong-  purple  body  simi- 
lar to  nut-^alls,  for  which  logwood  is  a  substitute. 

As  a  ^uide  to  those  who  are  but  little  acquainted  with  colouring. 
I  will  add  a  receipt  for  this  kind  of  black  which  I  apprehend  should 
make  a  g-ood  colour. 

For  one  end  of  felt,  weig^hing-  twenty-eight  pounds,  for  a  jet 
Vilack.     Use  for  the  boiling 

7  pounds  of  logwood. 

6  do.  of  swamp  maple  bark. 

2  do.  of  alder  bark, 
i  do.  of  verdigris. 

Boil  the  materials  two  hours  ;  heave  in  the  cloth  and  boil  it  two 
hours  and  a  half;  takeout  and  cool  as  before  directed.  For  tlie 
first  saddening,  use 

3  pounds  of  copperas. 

Heave  in  the  cloth  and  boil  gently  two  hours ;  then  heare  out 
ami  cool.     For  the  Izht  saddening,  use 

2  pounds  of  copperas. 

Heave  in  and  keep  at  a  spring  heat  for  two  hours.  By  a  spring 
beat,  the  dyer  means  a  gentle  bubbling  boil,  without  proceeding  to 
^^  strong  ebullition.  Take  a  pattern  off,  after  the  cloth  has  gone 
one  hour ;  scour  and  match  it,  should  it  then  be  a  good  black, 
heave  it  out,  but  if  the  body  be  not  strong  enough,  continue  the 
saddening  anotlier  hour.  Should  not  the  colour,  after  having-, 
gone  its  full  time,  have  sufficient  body,  use  more  logwood,  or  more 
copperas,  and  less  of  these,  should  the  body  be  too  strong. 

When  an  English  dyer  is  desirous  of  having-  a  black  unusually 
rich  and  full  bodied,  he  prepares  the  material  at  the  season  when 
•walnuts  are  ripe.  He  purchases  the  green  hulls  from  those  wha 
grow  the  nut,  and  puts  them  into  large  hogsheads,  filling  tliem  with 


188 

vv^ater  so  as  to  corer  the  hulls.  It  must  be  understood,  that  tiiese 
hulls,  if  left  in  a  heap  only  for  a  few  days  after  they  are  taken  from 
the  nut,  will  be  spoiled  for  this  purpose,  and  that  when  in  the  casks, 
they  must  always  be  kept  covered  with  water,  for  if  any  are  per- 
mitted to  lie  on  the  top  uncovered,  they  will  soon  be  injured.  A 
dyer  uses  them  after  a  black  has  been  coloured,  when  it  has  been 
washed  clean  in  the  stocks,  but  before  scouring  with  earth.  For 
enriching-  eight  ends,  or  two  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  black 
eloth,  put  into  a  furnace  of  clean  water  from  eight  to  sixteen  gal- 
lons of  the  hulls,  with  the  proper  portion  of  theix  liquor,  add  to 
these  four  pounds  of  alder  bark,  boil  the  ingredients  two  hours,  cool 
down  with  water,  and  rake  the  hulls  and  bark  out  of  the  liquor. — 
When  this  has  been  done,  enter  tlie  cloth,  and  run  it  without  any 
additional  heat  till  they  are  of  the  desired  colour.  This  will  add 
very  much  to  the  body  and  permanency  of  the  black,  and  will 
make  the  goods  handle  soft.  It  is  a  fact  not  generally  known,  that 
anv  colouring  matter  put  on  in  this  way,  after  a  black  has  been 
dyed,  will  increase  the  body  of  the  colour  much  more  than  when 
the  same  material  has  been  added  in  the  first  process,  and  in  almost 
every  instance  it  will  appear  the  blacker. 

I  apprehend  that  the  hull  of  the  butter-nut,  or  white  walnut  of 
this  country,  would  answer  very  well  for  this  purpose,  as  it  affords 
a  rich  brown,  very  similar  to  the  colour  given  by  the  hulls  of  the 
Eno-lish  walnut,  and  is,  as  I  understand,  highly  permanent  It 
should  be  collected  when  the  nut  is  ripe,  and  proceeded  with  as 
directed  for  the  other. 

Having  given  all  the  information  that  is  necessary  for  dying  of 
>lack  in  tlie  cloth,  we  will  now  proceed  to  dying  it  in  the  wool 


189 


TO  DYE  BLACK  WOOL. 

THE  furnaces  for  colouring  of  wool  are  constructed  and  put  up 
in  a  very  different  manner  from  those  which  are  used  for  clolh  dy- 
ing. They  are  made  after*the  same  manner  as  a  soap-boiler's  fur- 
nace, with  a  small  metallic  bottom,  either  of  iron  or  copper,  and  a 
large  wooden  head.  It  is  of  much  greater  diameter  across  the  top 
than  where  secured  io  the  metal.  In  England,  these  furnaces  are 
usually  large  enough  to  colour  from  three  to  six  bundled  pounds  of 
wool  at  one  operation ;  but  as  the  principal  part  of  them  is  wood 
worli,  a  small  quantity  may  be  done  when  necessary.  It  is  always 
better,  however,  to  dye  large  quantities  at  a  time,  as  three  hun- 
dred or  more  can  be  done  at  the  same  expense,  for  wages  and  fuel, 
as  forty  or  fifty,  and  those  items  always  constitute,  in  cheap  co- 
lours, full  one  half  of  the  expense  attending  the  dying.  It  is  by 
doing  large  quantities  that  the  English  dyers  and  manufacturers 
have  very  much  the  advantage  over  those  ot\  this  country  ;  for  in- 
dependent of  the  saving  in  fuel  and  labour,  the  larger  the  quantiiy 
done  at  onetime,  the  less  will  be  the  proportion  of  dying  wares 
used,  in  producing  any  given  colour.  The  wood  work  of  wool  fur- 
naces is  bound  with  stout  iron  hoops,  three  inches  wide,  after  the 
same  manner  as  described  for  the  woad  vat.  The  wooden  staves 
must  be  as  stout  as  those  for  the  vat,  and  one  of  the  iron  hoops  driv- 
en close  to  the  top,  and  well  rivetted  on,  as  there  Wiii  be  a  great 
strain  on  that  part  during  the  working. 

The  tools  used  to  work  wool  are  a  rake  and  a  stang.  The  rake 
has  a  wooden  handle,  long  enough  for  the  workman  to  stand  on  one 
side  of  the  furnace,  and  to  throw  it  to  the  side  opposite  to  him? 
without  stooping  over  the  furnace  liquor — ^the  handle  is  made  some- 
what stouter  than  those  used  by  hay-makers  ;  for  the  purpose  of 
raking,  iron  prongs  are  placed  in  it  at  one  end,  dropping  down  from 
the  end  of  the  handle  about  nine  inches  and  spreading  at  the  points 
to  six  inches.  An  iron  ring  is  put  on  the  handle,  where  the  shaft 
of  the  prong  enters,  to  prevent  the  wood  from  spitting.     A  stang 


190 

is  a  round  and  smooth  wooden  lerer,  about  three  inches  diameter, 
when  intended  for  a  lar^  fomac-e,  and  long  enough  to  reach  to 
the  bottom  of  the  furnace,  and  to  extend  abore  the  top  abant  four 
or  fire  leet. 

The  following-  receipt  is  for  a  blackywhere  the  tvoo]  was  previ- 
oafeij  dred  a  middling  blue  in  the  woad  vat,  and  is  for  forty -one 
pcNindsof  scoured  wool.  When  black  wdol  is  dyed  in  this  way, 
the  C(4oar  nerer  changes  by  wearing,  but  will  look  briglit,  full 
Ix^died,  and  of  a  fine  jtet  black,  until  the  garment  is  worn  out. 

Woad  the  wool  to  the  blue  wanted,  and  wash  it  well,  then  boi! 
tl?e  dye  wares  in  the  faroace  in  bags.  The  bags  used  for  this 
purpcjse  are  very  open  in  the  texture,  and  coarse,  but  strong,  and 
:ijej  should  be  made  to  hold  double  the  quantity  of  dye- wares  in- 
tended for  an  operation ;  for  when  a  bag  is  crowded,  the  liquor  can- 
not penetrate  so  as  to  extract  all  the  colouring  matter  of  the  woods 
contained  in  them.  When  the  furnaces  are  large,  and  great  quan- 
tities are  intended  to  be  coloured  at  each  operation,  at  lej^t  four 
>ucb  ba^  should  be  provided  for  each  furnace. 

Receipt  for  forty-one  pounds  of  black  wool. 
25  pounds  of  logwood. 

7      do.      of  maple  bark. 

6  do.  of  fustic. 
Boil  these  in  bag*  for  four  hours,  take  out  the  bags,  run  np  the 
furnace  with  cold  water,  and  heave  in  the  wool,  handle  it  well  for 
Lalf  an  hour,  and  boil  it  three  hours.  It  will  be  necessary  to  ex- 
plain what  is  meant  by  handling  of  wool  in  the  furnace.  I  have 
before  described  the  rake  and  stang,  the  tools  with  which  this  is 
performed.  The  wool  must  in  all  cases  be  completely  scoured,  and 
well  washed,  before  it  is  coloured,  and  it  is  essential  to  have  it  in  a 
moist  state  when  entered  in  the  furnace.  Before  the  wool  is  put 
in.  the  liquor  must  be  cooled  down  with  cold  water  to  about  170" 
Fahrenheit,  then  stir  it  well  with  a  dye-house  rake,  and  throw  in 
fi>€  wp9l.     Wlnle  one  persoa  is  throwing  in,  another  is  emplove^ 


*  191 

to  push  it  under  the  liquor  with  a  stick ;  when  the  whole  is  in  and 
under  the  liquor,  take  the  rake  and  draw  all  the  wool  from  that 
side  of  the  furnace  opposite  to  the  workman,  to  that  where  he 
stands,  then  thrust  tlie  long-  lever  or  stang-  down  to  the  bottom  of 
the  furnace,  on  the  same  side,  forcing-  the  wool  down  with  it,  when 
the  stang-  approaches  the  bottom,  thrust  it  towards  the  opposite 
side,  along  the  bottom,  and  bring-  up  all  the  wool  to  the  surface, 
let  the  stang  be  now  drawn  towards  the  workman,  one  or  two  feet, 
according  to  the  size  of  the  furnace,  which  acts  as  a  fulcrum  to 
the  lever,  and  with  the  weight  of  the  body  suspended  on  the  end, 
lift  up  the  wool  above  the  liquor,  and  by  a  jerk  and  a  twist  of  the 
stang  shal^e  the  wool  abroad  on  the  surface  of  the  liquor.  Let  it 
be  now  raked  over  again  and  proceed  as  before.  These  directions 
must  be  kept  in  view,  and  the  operations  pursued  in  every  instance 
where  wool  is  to  be  dyed  in  the  furnace,  for,  if  neglected,  the  co* 
lour  will  be  uneven. 

It  will  be  seen  that  half  an  hour  is  prescribed  for  working  the 
the  wool  after  it  has  been  heaved  into  the  liquor — by  the  time  tJiis 
has  been  performed,  the  liquor  will  begin  to  boil,  and  must  be  kept 
boiling  slowly  all  the  time  prescribed  without  any  other  handling-. 
The  same  process  will  have  to  be  pursued  for  all  wool  colours  that 
are  dyed  in  the  furnace,  therefore,  I  need  not  repeat  these  direc- 
tions for  any  receipt  that  may  hereafter  be  given,  only  mentioning 
the  time  of  boiling,  handling,  &c. 

When  the  wool  has  gone  the  time  prescribed,  it  has  to  be  sad- 
dened with  the  following  materials  : 

2i  pounds  of  copperas, 
Hh  do.  of  alum. 
Handle  well  for  half  an  hour,  then  boil  one  hour,  and  let  lie  all 
night.  The  ingredients  used  in  the  saddening  must  be  dissolved  in 
a  bucket  of  the  liquor  before  the  time  of  using  them,  and  the  liquor 
in  the  furnace  cooled  down  with  water  as  low  as  convenient,  before 
any  of  the  saddening  compound  is  added.  When  this  has  been 
done,  one  person  should  be  actively  employed  handling  the  wool. 


192 

while  anotlier  strews  the  saddening  liquor  over  the  surfacp  of  the 
furnace,  in  small  quantities  at  a  time,  permitting  one  quantity  to 
be  mixed  thoroughly  with  the  wool  before  another  is  added,  admi- 
nistering it  at  reg^ular  progressive  periods,  till  the  whole  of  the  sad- 
dening solution  has  been  added,  then  continue  to  handle  afterwards 
for  the  space  of  ten  or  fifteen  minutes. 

Receipt  for  colouring  seventj-five  pounds  of  wool  for  a  black  mix- 
ture. 
This  proved  a  very  good  colour,  and  was  permanent.  It  must 
be  understood  that  the  quantity  of  dye  wares  prescribed  are  always 
for  clean  wool,  as  an  English  dyer  never  attempts  to  colour  it  in 
any  other  state. 

23  pounds  of  Ic^wood. 
2      do.     of  blue  vitriol,  or  1  i  of  verdigris. 
Proceed  as  directed  for  the  first  receipt  in  the  boiling  of  wares  and 
wool,  boil  tiie  wool  three  hours  and  let  lie  all  night. 

Receipt  for  eighty  pounds  of  wool  for  a  black  mixture. 
28  pounds  of  logwood. 
4      do.       of  alder  bark. 
2      do.      of  fustic. 
i      do.      of  potash. 
Boil  the  wares  in  bags  four  hours,  take  the  bags  out,  run  up  the 
liquor,  heave  iu  the  wool,  handle  forty  minutes,  and  boil  three  hours 
— then  strew  over 

6  pounds  of  copperas. 
2      do.      of  blue  vitriol. 
Handle  till  colour  is  even,  boil  one  hour,  and  let  it  lay  all  night. 

Receipt  ^r  colouring  a  raven  black  for  a  mixture  or  for  a  wool 

colour. 

First  woad  two  hundred  pounds  of  wool  of  a  light  blue,  then  boil 

in  bags  thirty  pounds  of  logwood  for  four  hoars,  heave  in  the  wool 

as  before,  and  handle  one  hour,  as  it  must  be  that  time  before  the 

liquor  comes  to  boil — then  strew  thirty  pounds  alum  over  it,  ban- 


193 

die  and  boil  two  hours,  and  let  it  lie  all  night.  Wash  the  wool  on 
the  following-  morning,  and  bring  on  a  fresh  liquor,  in  which  boil 
fifty  pounds  of  logwood  for  three  hours,  and  let  it  lie  all  night. 
Wash  the  wool  on  the  following  morning,  and  bring  on  a  fresh 
liquor,  in  which  boil  fifty  pounds  of  logwood  for  three  hours,  heave 
in  the  wool,  and  let  it  be  four  hours  coming  up  to  a  boil,  then  boil 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  cool  down  and  let  lie  all  night.  It  should 
be  handled  for  the  first  two  hours.  This  colour  will  be  a  rich  bliie 
black,  or  what  is  called  a  raven,  being  the  hue  of  the  wing  of  thit 
bird. 


TO  DYE  BLACK  ON  COTTON. 

I  SHALL  proceed  to  give  three  Manchester  receipts  for  dying 
of  cotton  on  black.  These  receipts  were  obtained  from  that  town 
a  few  years  since,  and  I  have  received  fifteen  dollars  for  one  of 
them,  after  permitting  the  person  to  try  it  before  he  paid  the  money. 
I  have  never  tried  any  of  them  myself,  but  as  they  come  from  a 
first  rate  dyer,  who  freely  offered  them  without  fee  or  reward,  I 
have  full  confidence  of  their  being  exactly  such  as  were  used  by 
himself. 

The  cotton  has  first  to  be  dried  a  light  blue,  in  the  usual  cotton 
blue  vat,  and  then  washed.  For  each  pound  of  cotton  to  be  dyed, 
boil  four  ounces  of  sumac,  and  a  double  handful  of  logwood  chips, 
which  has  been  boiled  before  for  other  colours ;  when  these  are 
boiled,  take  the  clear  liquor  and  add  to  it  half  a  pint  of  urine,  turn 
in  the  cotton,,  handle  well,  and  let  it  lie  all  night.  Take  it  out  in 
the  morning,  dissolve  for  each  pound  of  cotton  half  an  ounce  of 
copperas,  turn  the  cotton  into  this  liquor,  and  work  it  well  for  ten 
m'nutes,  repeating  the  same  ten  or  twelve  times,  wring  out  and 
wash  well — put  another  half  pint  of  urine  into  the  sumac  and  log- 
wood l.quor,  turn  the  cotton  again  into  this,  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes,  handling  it  now  and  then — dissolve  another  half  ounce  of 
17 


194 

copperas,  and  add  it  to  the  former  copperas  liquor,  turn  in  the  cot- 
ton, and  repeat  as  before,  wring-  out  and  wash  well.  Boil  for  every 
pound  of  cotton,  twelve  ounces  of  logwood  chips  for  half  an  hour, 
take  off  the  clear  liquor,  and  add  half  &  pint  of  urine  for  each 
pound  of  logwood,  turn  in  the  cotton  for  half  an  hour  at  the  usual 
heat,  work  it  well,  raise  it  out,  and  leave  it  to  drain  upon  a  pin — 
dissolve  for  each  pound  of  cotton,  twelve  ounces  of  copperas,  put 
it  into  the  log-wood  liquor,  stir  well,  and  turn  in  the  cotton  for  half 
an  hour,  work  it  well,  wring  out  and  well  wash — boil  the  first  su- 
mac and  logwood  liquor  again  for  half  an  hour,  put  in  a  handful  o* 
ground  black  oak  bark  for  each  pound  of  cotton,  and  turn  it  in  at 
the  usual  heat — dissolve  for  each  pound  of  cotton,  two  ounces  of 
copperas,  pour  it  into  the  last  liquor,  stir  well  and  turn  in  the  cot- 
ton for  twenty  minutes — wring  out,  wash,  dry,  and  it  is  finished. 


SECOND  RECEIPT  FOR  DYING  BLACK  ON  COTTON. 

BEFORE  giving  this  receipt,  it  will  be  necessary  to  give  direc- 
tions how  to  prepare  the  acetite  of  iron  and  the  pyroligneate,  to 
which  I  shall  add  the  pyroligneate  of  copper,  as  each  of  these  com- 
pounds will  be  prescribed  in  dying  the  different  colours  on  cotton 
and  silk. 

To  make  the  pyroligneate  of  iron,  dissolve  four  pounds  of  cop- 
peras in  twenty  pounds,  or  as  many  pints  of  rain  water,  and  filter 
it — then  dissolve  four  pounds  of  pot-ash  in  twelve  pounds  of  rain 
water,  and  filter  this  also  on  another  filter,  mix  the  two  liquids 
together,  expose  the  mixture  to  the  air,  and  when  by  the  exposure,' 
it  has  attained  a  deep  red  colour,  then  pour  the  whole  on  a  linen 
filter ;  when  the  water  has  passed  through,  there  will  remain  on  the 
filter  a  red  oxyde  of  iron  which  must  be  washed  with  much  water 
till  it  has  no  taste  of  §alt^ — this  washing  is  done  on  the  filter,  and 
when  completed,  place  the  red  oxyde  of  iron  on  a  clean  board  un- 
til it  is  dry,  and  has  attained  its  maximum  of  oxydizement,  then 


195 

place  tLe  oxyde  and  triturate,  or  rub  it  in  a  marble  mortar,  pour  oq 
it  as  much  pjroligneous  acid  as  will  dissolve  it,  and  filter  again. 

The  pyrolig-neate  of  copper  is  made  as  follows :  take  one  pound 
of  blue  vitriol,  dissolve  it  in  six  pounds  of  rain  water,  then  dissolve 
one  pound  of  pearl-ash  in  three  pounds  of  rain  water,  mix  the  two, 
put  it  on  the  filter,  wash  it,  and  dissolve  in  the  pyroligneous  acid, 
as  directed,  for  the  oxyde  of  iron.  When  the  pyrolig-neate  of  iron 
and  copper  are  wanted  in  combination,  take  three  parts  of  the 
oxyde  of  iron  as  it  remains  on  the  filter,  after  it  is  dr} ,  and  of  the 
oxyde  of  copper  in  the  same  state,  triturate  them  in  a  marble  raw- 
tar,  pour  on  them  as  much  pyrolignic  acid  as  will  dissolve  them, 
and  filter  the  whole.  These  mordants  are  much  used,  either  sepa- 
rately or  combined,  for  dying  of  silk  and  cotton. 

The  pyroligneous  acid,  as  the  term  denotes,  is  an  acid  extracted* 
from  woad  by  distillation.  The  purest  acid  of  this  kind,  is  very 
expensive,  there  being  much  trouble  and  expense  incurred  in  se- 
parating all  the  empyreumatic  oil  from  it ;  but  that  whicFi  is  com- 
monly used  for  the  purpose  of  dying,  need  not  be  very  pure — all 
that  is  necessary  is  to  have  it  so  clean  from  the  oil  that  none  of  it 
shall  adhere  to  the  goods. 

Common  pyroligneate  of  iron  is  made  after  a  more  direct  man- 
ner than  that  which  I  have  before  described.  The  acid  is  put  into 
a  large  iron-bound  cask,  to  which  is  added  old  iron  hoops,  the  dust 
which  falls  from  the  stones  in  grinding  edge-tools,  or  fine  turnings 
of  iron  :  and  the  liquor  is  left  to  stand  open  a  great  length  of  time, 
the  longer  the  better. 

The  pyroligneous  acid,  in  its  crude  state,  as  it  is  collected  from 
the  still,  will  dissolve  double  the  quantity  of  iron  that  will  be  taken 
into  sofution  by  the  strongest  vinegar.  The  most  ready  and  direct 
^way  of  making  the  solution  is  by  boiling  iron  filings,  turnings  of 
iron,  or  old  iron  hoops,  in  this  acid,  in  a  cast  iron  furnace,  for  three 
or  four  hours.     Some  little  of  the  acid  will  evaporate,  but  the 


196 

strength  of  the  compound  \rill  be  much  increased.  It  must  be  re. 
marked,  that  the  iron  should  be  free  from  oil,  and  as  much  rusted 
(oxydized)  before  it  is  put  into  the  acid,  as  possible.  One  quart  of 
this  concentrated  solution  will  produce  effects  nearly  equal  to  four 
of  the  common  acetite  irhich  I  shall  presently  describe. 

The  pyroli^eous  acid  is  now  made  in  this  country  by  the  white 
lead  manufacturers,  and  is  offered  by  the  barrel  at  one  shilling-, 
New-York  currency,  per  g-allon,  which  is  about  the  same  price  as 
cider  vinegar. 

Independent  of  the  property  which  this  acid  possesses,  of  dissolr- 
jDg  a  much  greater  quantity  of  iron  than  strong  vinegar,  it  has 
combined  with  it  a  considerable  portion  of  the  gallic  acid,  that  can- 
not be  discovered  by  neutralizing  it  with  an  alkali;  but  which 
greatly  assists  its  colouring  property  by  turning  the  red  oxyd  of 
iron  to  a  dense  black  oxyd.  This  solution,  in  all  colouring  for  a 
black  dye,  is  far  preferable  to  copperas,  particularly  when  used  on 
cotton,  silk,  or  hair,  and  independent  of  its  superiority  as  a  dye, 
it  leaves  the  goods  in  a  much  softer  state  than  when  copperas  is 
used,  and  it  also  appears  to  impart  a  permanency  which  the  other 
never  gives. 

The  common  acetite  of  iron  is  made  by  putting  strong  cider  or 
wine  vinegar  into  a  vessel,  and  adding  iron  the  same  as  before.  In 
many  dye-houses  in  Europe,  thej  keep  large  vats,holding  one  or 
two  thousand  gallons  each,  in  which  they  make  this  preparation, 
and  some  of  them  are  not  used  out  till  they  are  more  than  one  hun- 
dred years  old,  and  the  older  they  are,  the  more  completely  will 
the  liquor  produce  the  desired  effect.  For  some  particular  pur- 
poses, they  add  alder  bark,  &c.  to  these  liquors. 

We  will  now  proceed  to  the  second  receipt  for  dying  of  black  on 
cotton. 


197 

Dip  the  cotton  in  four  quarts  of  the  common  acetite  of  iron,  or 
in  two  of  the  pyrolig-neate  made  by  a  cold ,  solution  to  each  pound 
of  cotton,  let  it  lie  all  night,  in  the  morning  wring  it  out  and  dry, 
and  afterwards  wash  it  well.  Boil  in  a  copper  vessel  four  ounces 
of  sumac,  eight  ounces  of  umbro  madder,  and  two  ounces  of  log- 
wood for  each  pound  of  cotton — boil  the  sumac  and  logwood  to- 
gether for  one  hour,  and  empty  the  clear  liquor  into  anotlier  fur" 
nace  into  this  liquor,  put  the  madder  and  drive  on  the  fire  till  it 
just  boils,  then  draw  the  fire,  and  when  the  liquor  is  milk  warm, 
enter  the  cotton  as  in  the  blue  vat,  bring  the  liquor  to  a  boiling 
heat  in  one  hour  and  a  half,  but  not  to  boil  out,  let  it  lie  at  that 
heat  for  fifteen  minutes,  then  draw  the  fire,  place  the  cotton  hollow 
and  straight,  and  let  it  lay  so  for  one  or  two  hours,  then  raise  it 
out  of  the  liquors  and  wring  gently,  shaking  the  madder  well  out 
of  it — take  it  out  one  string  at  a  time,  wash  clean  from  the  mad- 
der, wring  evenly  and  dry.  In  the  summer,  dry  it  under  a  shade, 
and  in  the  winter  in  a  stove. 

The  third  and  last  receipt  for  cotton,  is  much  cheaper,  but  not 
so  permanent,  nor  does  it  make  so  fine  a  colour  as  the  others. 

Boil  a  sufficient  quantity  of  sumac  for  half  an  hour,  strain  the 
liquor,  into  which  enter  the  goods,  and  work  well  for  half  an  hours 
wring  out,  dip  it  in  water  and  urine,  and  then  rinse  it — dissolve 
copperas  in  water,  into  which  enter  the  goods,  and  handle  them 
rapidly  for  half  an  hour,  then  wring  them  out  and  enter  them  into 
pure  lime  water.  Boil  logwood  in  water  for  an  hour,  and  strain  it 
through  a  cloth,  enter  the  goods  in  this  and  work  till  it  be  of  the 
colour  wanted.  It  must  then  be  exposed  to  the  air  to  dry.  If 
dark  enough,  wash  it,  and  re-dry  it ;  if  not  dark  enough,  give  it 
another  dip  through  the  same  materials.  Cotton,  which  will  not 
take  up  more  than  a  given  quantity  of  colouring  matter  at  one 
operation,  will,  after  dying,  take  up  a  second  portion ;  and  when- 
ever a  strong  rich  colour  is  wanted  on  cotton,  it  is  better  to  give  it 
one  portion,  then  to  dry  and  wash,  wben  it  will  take  a  second  verj 

17* 


198 

readily.     By  repeating  the  operalioiis  any  body  of  colour  may  be 
obtaioed. 


TO  DYE  BLACK  OX  SILK. 

TAKE  any  quantity  of  raUineux,  boil  them  in  a  copper,  strain 
the  liquor  into  a  back  of  such  a  heat  as  will  not  interfere  with  the 
resin  of  the  silk — put  the  silk  into  this  liquor  for  three  days,  turn- 
ing- it  once  a  day,  wash  out  and  stick  up  to  drain.  Bring  on  a  ket- 
tle full  of  clean  water  to  a  boiling  heat,  put  into  it  a  great  quantity 
of  copperas,  with  a  small  portion  of  logwood  and  alder  bark  liquor? 
gire  the  silk  ibur  wets  in  this  liquor  boiling  hot,  wring  out  ov^er 
the  kettle,  hang  up  and  dry  in  a  stove.  It  may  be  scrooped  with 
iime-juice ;  should  it  feel  harsh,  beat  it  well  with  fullers'  earth  on 
a  smooth  stone,  then  wash  it  clean,  wring  as  dry  as  possible,  and 
hang  it  in  a  store  to  dry. 

Vallineux  is  the  cups  and  stalks  on  which  the  acorns  grow  of 
some  peculiar  oak ;  it  is  imported  largely  into  England  for  the  pur- 
pose of  dying,  and  for  tanning  some  kinds  of  leather.  I  once  sold 
tius  receipt  in  Rhode  Island,  on  condition  of  its  producing  a  good 
colour,  in  which  I  substituted  a  strong  decoction  of  sumac  and 
;'3wamp  maple  bark,  in  lieu  of  the  vallineux,  and  the  substitute 
answered  so  good  a  purpose,  that  the  dyer  called  soon  afterwards 
and  paid  the  money,  acknowledging  that  it  made  an  excellent 
"'^lour. 

The  silk  died  by  this  receipt,  was  the  raw  article  in  skeins, 
which  alwa}^  contain  a  considerable  portion  of  natural  resin  that 
fltiast  not  be  disturbed  by  the  heat  of  the  liquor  :  hence  the  reason 
of  the  precaution  used  in  the  receipt.     It  will  be  understood,  that 

hen  the  gum  is  mentioned  in  any  other  receipt,  it  has  reference 

this  explanation. 


199 

The  alder  bark  liquor,  mentioned  in  the  receipt,  is  made  as 
follows ;  take  any  quantity  of  pyroligneous  acid,  fill  casks  with  it 
of  one  hundred  gallons,  each  two-thirds  full,  into  each  of  which^ 
put  two  bushels  of  chipped  alder  bark,  and  a  large  quantity  of  old 
i^iisty  iron  hoops,  turnings  of  iron,  or  of  the  dust  of  iron  that  falls 
off  in  grinding  of  edge  tools ;  the  latter  is  mixed  with  a  part  of  the 
stone,  which  will  by  no  means  injure  the  compound.  The  older 
this  preparation  is,  the  more  completely  will  it  answer  the  purpose. 
For  a  large  well  established  concern,  it  is  usual  to  sink  the  casks 
in  the  ground  on  a  bottom  of  well  puddled  clay,  and  claying  them 
well  up  to  the  top ;  over  each  cask  is  placed  a  cover  with  holes 
bored  through  them.  These  are  used  to  prevent  accident,  at  the 
same  time  they  give  free  access  for  the  atmospheric  air  to  operate 
on  the  liquor,  this  being  essential  to  the  proper  oxydizemeni  of  the 
iron. 

Many  of  the  colours  in  silk  dying,  are  scrooped  with  lime-juice>, 
which  is  done  after  the  colour  has  been  dyed.  To  do  this,  some 
lime-juice  is  put  into  a  tub  of  clean  water,  the  coloured  silk  is  im- 
mersed in  it,  and  a  few  turns  given,  when  it  is  wrung  out  and  dried. 
This  is  done  for  the  purpose  of  making  the  colours  clear  and 
bright,  and  in  black  for  taking  off  any  russet  hue  that  may  have 
been  left  by  the  colouring.  This  remark  will  be  kept  in  view 
whenever  scrooping  is  mentioned  in  other  receipts. 


TO  DYE  BLUE. 

I  SHALL  begin  with  the  woad  vat.  Let  the  reader  refer  to 
what  has  been  said  under  the  general  head  of  dying,  relative  to 
setting  of  vats,  and  he  will  there  see  an  account  of  the  manner  of 
erecting  of  the  cold,  the  fire  and  the  steam  vats,  also  directions  for 
manufacturing  of  woad. 

It  may  be  useful  to  the  dyer  to  know  how  to  measure  the  con- 
tents in  gallons  of  a  blue  vat,  or  of  any  other  conical  or  cylindri= 


200 

cal  vessel ;  for  it  will  be  perceived,  in  the  course  of  the  folloiring' 
instructions,  that  the  quantity  of  material  must  always  be  nearly 
in  a  given  ratio  to  the  contents  of  the  vessel  employed. 

When  a  vat  is  cylindrical,  that  is,  when  the  diameter  of  the 
lenglh,  from  top  to  bottom,  is  the  same,  multiply  the  diameter  in 
inches  by  itself,  and  cut  off  the  right  hand  figure,  and  the  remain- 
ing figures  express  the  ale  gallons  in  a  yard  length  of  that  cylin- 
der, near  enough  for  every  practical  purpose,  it  giving  only  one 
gallon  in  three  hundred  and  seventy-nine  too  little.  When  a  co- 
nical vessel  has  to  be  measured,  that  is,  a  vessel  that  is  larger  at 
one  end  than  the  other,  and  regularly  widening  from  the  smallest 
end  to  the  largest,  take  the  mean  diameter,  reduce  that  to  inches, 
and  proceed,  as  described,  for  the  cylindrical  vessel. 

V 

As  an  example  of  this  rule,  vre  will  reduce  the  English  and 
French  vats,  before  described,  la  their  contents  in  ale  gallons. 
An  English  woad  vat  is  there  stated  to  be  seven  feet  six  inches 
deep,  the  same  in  diameter  across  the  bottom,  and  six  feet  on  the 
top,  the  mean  diameter  will  be  six  feet  nine  inches  taken  at  the 
centre.  This  reduced  according  to  the  rule,  will  stand  thus, 
S14~S1=656,1 ,  gives  six  hundred  and  fifty-six  beer  gallons  in  three 
feet  of  the  vats  depth — now  the  vat  being  seven  feet  six  inches 
deep,  or  two  yards  and  a  half,  we  multiply  6564-2^=1640  gal- 
ons  as  the  contents  of  the  vat.  The  French  vat  is  said  by 
Mr.  Cooper  to  be  nine  feet  deep  by  five  feet  nine  inches  over 
69-|-69==476, 1-1-3=1 428  gallons.  Most  practical  dyers,  without 
measuring,  would  consider  the  French  vat  as  likely  to  hold  more 
than  the  English,  although  its  contents  are  one-eighth  less.  This 
proves,  how  necessary  it  is  to  ascertain  the  contents,  before  a  vat 
is  worked,  for  were  the  same  materials  to  be  used  in  both  of  these, 
one  of  them  would  be  too  strong,  when  the  other  would  have  only 
its  proper  quantity.  It  also  shows,  that  it  is  necessary  when  re- 
ceipts are  given  for  woad  dying,  that  the  contents  of  the  vessel 
should  be  given  with  it,  otherwise  an  artist  ignorant  of  the  busi- 
ness, might  fail  for  want  of  being  put  in  possession  of  this  vfrv 
simple  fact. 


201 

An  English  vat  of  the  size  described,  is  set  with  five  times  one 
hundred  and  tw'elve  pounds  of  the  best  woad,  five  pounds  of  um- 
bro  madder,  one  peck  of  Cornell  and  bran,  half  of  each,  the 
refuse  of  wheat,  four  pounds  of  copperas,  and  a  quarter  of  a  peck 
of  dry  slacked  lime.  Before  we  proceed,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
g-ive  directions  for  preparing  the  lime,  as  the  success  of  the  dyer 
will  very  much  depend  on  having  this  article  properly  prepared. 

For  two  English  vats,  it  will  be  necessary  to  prepare  half  a  bar- 
rel at  one  time.  The  lime  must  be  such  as  has  been  lately  taken 
from  the  kiln,  for  no  part  of  it  should  be  air  slacked,  as  that  which 
has  fallen  by  absorbing  moisture  from  the  atmosphere,  will  be  re- 
carbonated,  and  produce  no^effect  upon  the  vat  hquor.  Take  the 
new  lime,  put  it  on  a  clean*  stone  floor,  and  pour  sufficient  water 
over  it  from  a  watering-  pot,  to  make  it  fall  into  a  fine  dry  powder, 
but  not  enough  to  make  the  mass  wet  when  fallen.  When  enough 
watered,  put  it  up  mto  a  close  heap ;  throw  a  wool  bag  over  it, 
and  leave  it  till  the  following  mornmg.  The  heap  has  then  to  be 
opened,  and  the  stones,  if  any  there,  are  taken  out  of  it.  It  must 
now  be  put  into  a  box  having  a  close  hd  and  left  for  use.  Care 
must  be  taken  to  nave  the  box,  in  which  the  lime  is  placea,  as  air 
tight  as  possible.  I  have  directed  the  lime  to  be  slacked  on  a  stone 
floor  to  prevent  accidents  by  fire,  for  when  lime  is  slacked  on 
wood  floors,  it  will  sometimes  set  them  on  fire,  as  I  once  experi- 
,enced. 

The  woad  will  have  to  be  chopped«nto  small  lumps  with  a  spade, 
and  thrown  into  the  vat  before  the  liquor  lo  piu  m;  let  the  madder 
be  broken  into  small  pieces,  and  the  L  an  or  lime  thrown  upon 
upon  them.  When  the  materials  are  in,  .t  should  be  filled  up  with 
water  that  has  boiled  and  cooled  dowu  to  doout  195°  Fhn.  from  a 
furnace,  and  the  contents  kept  stirred  ali  tne  iime  it  is  being  filled. 
When  the  vat  is  full  to  within  iour  or  Qv3  inches  of  the  top,  give  it 
a  good  stirring  for  half  an  hour,  and  then  cover  down  close.  A 
dye-house  bucket  should  hold  four  gaii.jt»3,  and  while  the  vat  is 
stirring  after  it  has  been  filled,  put  in  one  bucket  of  well  ground 


202 

indigo,  containing  fifteen  pounds  of  that  article.  The  vat  should 
be  set  about  four  or  fire  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  be  attended 
and  stirred  again  at  nine  o'clock  the  same  eveniog,  bj  this  time, 
if  every  thing  goes  on  regular,  the  fermentation  will  so  far  have 
progressed,  that,  when  a  small  portion  of  the  liquor  is  let  run  from 
either,  a  scoop  or  any  tin  vessel  between  the  person  viewing  it 
and  the  light,  it  will  appear  of  a  daik  bottle  gieen.  When  wel^ 
stirred,  let  it  be  covered  down,  and  if  the  weather  should  be  cold, 
throw  some  mats  or  wool  bag«  over  the  covers  to  keep  in  the  heat, 
to  prevent  its  cooling  too  low  before  the  liquor  comes  properly  to 
work.  The  person  who  manages  the  vat,  must  attend  at  five 
o'clock  the  following  morning,  let  them  take  off  both  covers  and 
plunge  the  rake  into  the  vat,  so  as  to  bring  some  ol  the  air  that  is 
cai-ried  down  by  it  to  the  surface,  wKen  a  part  of  the  sediment  of 
the  vat  will  rise  with  the  bubbles  If  the  fermentation  has  pro- 
gressed, as  it  usually  does,  the  air  biiooies  will  appear  of  a  fine 
blue,  and  a  number  of  copoer  scales  will  float  on  the  surface  of  the 
liquor.  Should  these  appearances  take  place,  and  the  liquor, 
when  viewed  by  transmitted  light,  be  of  a  dark  olive  green,  put 
'  into  it  another  bucket  of  ground  indigo  and  a  quarter  of  a  peck  or 
the  slacked  lime,  stir  the  liquor  for  twenty  minutes,  and  cover 
down  close.  The  heat  of  the  vat  should  now  be  at  about  140*  Fh. 
and  if  it  has  lowered  down  below  135*^.  and  it  be  a  fire  vat,  a  fire 
must  be  applied  to  raise  and  keep  it  at  the  latter  heat.  Two  hours 
after  this  stirring,  it  must  be  stirred  again,  when,  if  the  fermenta- 
tion is  found  to  have  gone  on  in  regular  progression,  the  liquor 
will  be  of  a  brighter  olive  than  in  the  morning,  the  bubbles  will  be 
of  a  licher  purple,  and  the  surface  more  generally  covered  with 
copper  coloured  scales:  should  these  symptoms  make  their  ap- 
peamnce,  add  another  quarter  peck  of  lime,  stir  for  ten  minutes* 
and  cover  down  close  as  before.  The  liquor  must  now  be  stirred 
every  two  hours,  and  if  the  appearances  continue  to  improve,  a 
quarter  of  a  peck  of  lime  will  have  to  be  added  at  each  stirring, 
until  there  have  been  given  from  eight  to  ten  quarterns  including 
the  one  that  was  pnt  in  when  the  vat  was  first  set.  By  the  time 
eight  has  been  added,  the  liquor  will  look  very  rich  in  the  bead. 


203 

the  bubbles  will  rise  of  all  sizes,  from  the  bulk  of  an  egg  to  that  of 
a  small  hazle-nut,  and  none  of  them  will  break  so  as  to  disappear; 
but  many  of  them  will  collapse,  and  as  thej  fall  tog-ether,  will  ap- 
pear of  a  rich  smalt  colour,  coaled  with  a  fat  looking-  skin.     A 
larg-e  quantity  of  bubbles  ivill  have  risen  by  this  time,  which  lay- 
ing on  tlie  surface  in  a  compact  mass  will  look  rich,  and  the  great- 
er part  will  have  passed  from  a  blue  to  a  copper  colour.     The  in- 
dig-o  now  when  raked  up,  will  show  in  the  liquor  in  clouds,  its  ap- 
pearance will  be  a  rich  yellow  olive  clouded  with  indig-o.     When 
the  vat  assumes  all  these  appearances,  it  is  said  to  be  in  fine  con- 
dition, and  every  thing  will  have  gone  on  in  regular  order;  but  as 
it  often  happens,  that  a  vat  does  not  come  on  in  a  regular  way,  the 
vat-man  must  be  attentive  to  appearances,  when  he  stirs  the  first 
in  morning  after  setting.     If  the  bubbles  and  head  is  at  that  time 
weak  and  watery,  and  the  last  that  rise  should  not  show  any  ap- 
pearance of  blue,  and  the  liquor  shows  no  copper  scales  on  the 
surface,  and  appears  of  the  same  colour  as  when  stirred  the  even- 
ing before,  something  must  be  added  to  force  the  fermentation, 
and  nothing  will  answer  the  purpose  better  than  a  liquor  made 
from  boiling  together  bran,  malt,  hops,  and  madder.     This  liquor, 
which  is  called  swill,  should  be  prepared  the  same  day  the  vat  is  set, 
by  putting  into  a  copper  furnace  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  gallons, 
two  pecks  of  bran,  one  peck  of  ground  malt,  four  pounds  of  mad- 
der, and  one  pound  of  hops.     The  furnace  having  been  previously 
two-thirds  filled  with  water,  bring  it  to  a  boil,  and,  when  near  boil- 
ing, break  and  rake  it  in  ;  a  bucket  or  two  of  cold  water  should  be 
kept  near  the  furnace  to  throw  in  when  necessary,  to  prevent  the 
liquor  from  overflowing,  which  it  is  very  apt  to  do  when  it  begins 
to  boil.     When  the  liquor  has  boiled  from  thirty  to  forty  minutes, 
draw  the  fire  and  run  the  furnace   up  with  cold  water,  the  sedi- 
ment will  soon  settle  and  leave  the  liquor  clear  on  the  top.    Should 
not  the  fermentation  have  come  on  strong  enough  when  the  vat  is 
stirred  in  the  morning,  add  one  bucket  of  swill  without  giving  it 
any  lime,  and  cover  it  down  close ;  in  two  hours  afterwards  stir 
again,  and,  if  'he  appearances  warrant  it,  proceed  as  first  directed  ; 
but  should  these  be  still  unfavourable,  add  two  buckets  of  swill 


204 

at  the  second  stirring,  cover  down  and  repeat  until  the  appear- 
ances become  favourable  so  as  to  proceed  with  the  liming.  It  will 
seldom  happen  that  a  vat  is  delayed  in  coming  to  work  unless  the 
fermentative  quality  of  the  woad  has  been  injured  in  making. 

I  have  directed  that  from  eight  to  ten  quarter  pecks  of  dry  slack- 
ed lime  be  used  when  a  vat  is  set  with  five  hundred  weight  of  woad  ; 
but  as  the  quantity  required,  will  altogether  depend  on  the  strength 
of  the  woad,  as  well  as  on  that  of  the  lime,  there  can  be  no  ab- 
solute rule  given.  I  have  found,  however,  that  the  Rhode  Island 
lime  is  nearly  of  equal  strength  with  the  Enghsh  Cromwell,  being 
that  which  is  used  for  this  purpose  in  the  west  of  England,  and  I 
would  recommend  those  who  attempt  the  woad  vat  to  use  that  lime, 
provided  they  should  follow  these  directions. 

There  is  probably  no  article  more  uncertain  in  its  strength  and 
quality,  than  woad.  The  principal  object  to  be  attended  to  in  the 
purchase  of  woad,  is  to  procure  it  of  the  strongest  kind,  and  to 
take  care  that  the  supply  be  uniformly  of  the  same  strength  ;  for 
any  considerable  variation  in  this  particular,  will  prove  very  dis- 
astrous to  the  operator,  however  skilful  he  may  be  in  his  pro- 
fession, and  will  be  altogether  ruinous  to  a  young  beginner.  It  is 
very  rare  to  see  even  a  fair  sample  of  woad  in  this  market ;  for 
that  which  have  been  imported,  have  generally  been  such  as  was 
no'  saleable  in  England.  I  lately  imported  some  of  the  best  kind, 
such  as  I  formerly  used  there,  and  such  as  my  brothers  now  use, 
from  whom  I  obtained  it.  To  encourage  the  consumption,  I  was 
induced  to  offer  it  at  fourteen  cents  per  pound,  being  six  cents 
lower  than  it  was  ever  before  sold  in  this  country.  As  soon  as  an 
opportunity  offers,  I  shall  induce  some  agriculturist  to  undertake 
its  manufacture. 

I  must  request  those  who  are  interested  in  the  consumption  of 
woad,  tO  io>!i  b^ck,  and  read  att<?ntively  the  letter  of  Mr.  Parish's, 
on  iho  Tainnar  and  mauufacttirir?  of  woad,  they  will  there  see  that 
its  lelative  value  depends  altcgelher  on  the  strength  of  the  land 


205 

on  which  it  has  been  raised—that  when  raised  on  poor  land,  it  is 
of  httle  value ;  but  that  when  raised  on  strong  land,  in  a  favoura- 
ble season,  it  is  highly  valuable,  and  that  the  strongest  land  will 
not  bear  more  than  two  crops  in  succession. 

A  dyer  at  all  conversant  with  the  woad  valt,  may,  by  taking 
prime  woad  and  following  my  instructions,  bring  it  into  good  work 
and  produce  colours  equal  to  the  English ;  but  should  they  take 
woad  at  hazard,  no  certain  rule  can  be  given.  I  have  seen  at  one 
dye-house  in  the  state  of  Massachusetts,  four  kinds  of  woad  in 
dilferent  states  of  preparation,  the  workman  was  an  European 
and  appeared  very  skilful  in  his  profession ;  but  he  complained 
very  justly,  that  he  could  not  work  his  vats  regularly,  owing  to  the 
great  difference  in  the  quality  of  the  woad.  The  owners  of  fac- 
tories may  rest  assured,  that  their  woad  dying  will  never  equal  the 
English  until  they  procure  woad  Uiat  shall  be  nearly  uniform  in 
strength  and  condition. 

When  the  vat  has  been  brought  to  work,  as  before  directed,  a 
cross  is  suspended  in  it,  on  which  the  net  will  have  to  rest— about 
forty  pounds  of  wool  is  wet  in  at  once.  The  wool  must  be  thorough- 
ly cleansed  from  the  grease  and  joik,  and  well  shook  on  the  floor 
close  to  the  vat  before  it  is  entered.     One  man   should  strew  it 
over  the  top  of  the  liquor,  and  another  put  it  under  with  a  vat  stick ; 
when  it  is  all  in,  it  must  be  handled  very  briskly  the  whole  time 
when  the  vat  is  new  and  strong  of  indigo,  or  the  colour  will  be  un- 
even; when  a  liquor  has  been  worked  some  time,  and  the  strength 
of  the  vat  lowered,  the  wool  need  not  be  handled  more  than  one- 
third  of  the  time.     In  a  new  strong  liquor,  such  as  I  have  given 
directions  for  setting,  the  wool  should  not  be  permitted  to  remain 
in  it  more  than  half  an  hour,  when  it  will  have  to  be  wrung  out  at 
three  wringings,  which  should  be  performed  as  quick  as  possible 
and  wrung  very  dry.     As  soon  as  the  workmen  throws  one  lot  out 
of  the  wringing  cloth,  another  person  should  immediately  shake  it 
up,  so  that  the  air  may  have  access  to  all  parts  of  the  wool,  and 
then  reshake  it  into  a  heap— soon  as  the  whole  is  out  of  the  vat 
18 


206 

et  the  be^  be  sgajua  shaken  untd  the  wool  is  neariy  coid.  Ii 
■Hct  be  noticed  tiiat  a  woad  rat  ^oald  never  be  worked  at  more 
tiian  lis**,  and  whtem  new^  at  no  more  than  1 15^  Fb. 

in  djiag  witii  woad,  tboe  slioald  always  be  two  vats  in  opera- 
tion  at  tbe  same  time,  one  that  Ins  been  worked  for  one  or  two 
moBtfa^  and  a  new  rat.  Tbe  wool  to  be  coloured,  should  be  primed 
m  tbe  new  Tat,  and  finislied  in  tbe  old^r  one. 


A  rat  tibai  m  set  wifb  five  hundred  of  strong*  woad,   will  reqnire 
£re  bandied  more  during  the  working,  and  this,  in  all  regular  dj- 
where  constant  work  is  required,  will  colour  for 
in  ttat  time  it  will  take  nearly  £ve  hundred  pounds  of 
indigOk    Tbe  wadamnship,  after  tbe  £rst  setting,  to  be  managed 
as  fiiBows;  ^i  two  or  tbree  wets  of  forty  pounds  each  into  ttie  vat 
after  U  bas  been  brotig-Lt  to  work  at  night  after  the  last  dip,  stir 
-veil,  and  if  tbe  liquor  is  cooled  below  the  proper  standard,  put  the 
ire  cm  and  brm^  it  up  to  125%  not  exceedmg  130^  Fh.,  stir  a^-ain 
at  nioe  in  tbe  evauag,  and  put  in  two  quarter  pecks  of  lime.     The 
ilij  fiilliwiiim^,  tbe  same  wets  may  be  redipped,  when  they  will  be  a 
fBCtty  inD  colonr,  haag  tbe  beat  up  as  the  night  before,  after  stir- 
xing^,  and  when  the  rat  is  stirred  at  nine  o^clock,  give  it  one  quar- 
ter feek  of  lime.     Tbe  day  following  the  rat  must  be  renewed. — 
Pint  bnag:  fbe  beat  up  to  1 55S  or  165°  Fh. ;  when  brought  to  the 
veqanite  beat,  pot  in  balf  a  hundred  of  woad,  chopped  fine  as  be- 
fore, balf  a  peck  of  bran,  four  pounds  of  madder,  and  twelve  pounds 
of  indig-o  well  ground ;  stir  weU  after  these  things  are  added,  and 
again  at  nine  in  the  evening;.     The  next  morning  it  should  be  yel- 
low in  tbe  bqpior,  bare  a  thick  copper  scum  on  the  surface,  tbe 
bede  be  of  a  fine  pmple  and  very  rich.     Stir  ag^dn  at  £ve  o^clock 
^be  fidoinB^  nonungp,  wbich  Tepeai  at  noon  and  in  the  evening, 
at  €he  last  rtining;,  add  two  quarter  pecks  of  lime.     It  will  now 
bear  wudnyg  and  refdeawiung  r^ularly.     When  constantly  work- ' 
ed  it  wiH,  so  bmg'  as  woad  is  added,  require  two  quarter  pecks  of 
■Ik  afiber  eaiCh  Tcpleoisbiny,  and  from  two  to  three  during  eac^ 


207 

pcnod  of  working-.  The  reheating  should  be  done  in  the  ^fter  part 
of  the  day,  and  the  liquor,  if  every  thing  goes  on  regular,  will  be 
fit  for  work  the  morning  of  the  second  day  afterwards.  It  is  usual, 
in  all  regular  dye-houses,  to  reheat  on  Saturdays  in  the  afternoon, 
and  again  on  Tuesdays  or  Wednesdays,  according  as  the  vat  works. 
For  the  first  ten  reheatings,  there  is  added  at  each  half  a  hundred 
of  woad,  which  makes  the  whole  quantity  used  in  one  liquor  tep 
hundred  and  twelve  pounds  of  indigo  for  each  of  tliirty-nine  retreat- 
ings.  So  long  as  the  woad  is  added,  the  vat  will  require,  after  the 
first  days  working,  two  quarter  pecks  of  lime,  and  on  the  second 
evening,  one  quarter  peck. 

It  will  be  seen  that  for  working  one  vat  during  six  months,  there 
will  be  required  half  a  ton  of  woad,  and  four  hundred  and  ninety 
pounds  oftndigo.  This  vat,  if  skilfully  managed,  and  prime  indigo 
is  used,  will  colour  two  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  wool  every 
week ;  and  as  it  will  admit  of  being  worked  six  weeks  after  the 
last  addition  of  indigo,  there  can  be  obtained  from  it,  during  the 
working  down,  four  hundred  pounds  of  dark  blue  wool,  two  hun- 
dred of  half  blue,  and  two  of  very  light.  This  is  the  calculation 
in  all  well  regulated  English  dye-houses. 

A  woad  vat  is  liable  to  be  out  of  order  from  two  causes;  fiom 
the  lime  being  added  in  too  great  or  too  small  a  quantity,  and  al* 
though  the  causes  of  these  defects  are  directly  opposite,  yet  the 
first  symptoms  of  the  two  bear  so  striking  a  similarity  that  it  re- 
quires considerable  practical  skill  to  judge  from  which  of  the  two 
it  arises,  and  herein  consists  the  whole  difficulty  of  the  business.— 
It  is  altogether  a  fermentative  process,  and  there  is  but  little  doubt 
that  the  fermentation  is  of  that  kind  which  has  been  termed  by 
modern  chemists  the  panary,  or  that  description  of  fermentation 
which  produces  yeast.  I  am  convinced  of  this  by  the  great  quan- 
tity of  carbonic  acid  gas  that  is  liberated  during  the  operation,  and 
from  the  fact  that  acetic  acid  destroys  the  working  of  the  vat? 
while  yeast,  bran,  madder,  malt,  &c.  promote  it.  At  all  events^ 
irbatever  may  be  the  stage  of  fermentation,  it  is  necessary  to  keep 


208 

it  always  in  one  state,  and  tliis  is  regulated  by  quick  lime.  If  too 
much  lime  is  added,  the  fermentation  will  cease  ;  the  air  bubbles? 
instead  of  forming-  a  rich  purple  bede,  will  look  white  and  burst 
with  a  hissing"  noise,  and  the  liquor  will  feel  slippery  when  rubbed 
between  the  fingers.  Whenever  a  skilful  workman  perceives  this 
coming  on,  be  will  stop  working  until  the  liquor  is  brought  back 
to  a  healthful  state.  The  safest  way  of  doing  this  is  to  put  into  a 
hempen  bag  of  coarse  texture,  one  or  two  pecks  of  shorts,  (accord- 
ing as  the  vat  is  more  or  less  over-limed,)  add  an  iron  weight  of 
Iburteen  pounds  to  sink  the  bag.  The  bag  being  tied  up,  is  put 
into  the  vat,  and  the  covers  taken  off  to  let  the  liquor  cool  to  one 
hundred  and  ten  degrees ;  in  two  or  three  days,  and  sometimes 
sooner,  if  the  vat  is  not  much  over  limed,  the  bag  wUl  rise  to  the 
top  and  give  out  a  sour  fetid  smell.  The  liquor  should  now  be 
examined,  and  if  it  has  recovered  its  fine  green  colour,  smells  of 
the  woad,  and  feels  rough,  the  bag  should  be  taken  out  and  put  on 
3  plank  over  the  vat  until  it  has  drained  so  as  not  to  drip.  The  vat 
should  now  be  covered  down,  and  the  heat  of  the  liquor  raised  to 
one  hundred  and  forty  degrees.  Let  it  be  well  stirred  as  soon  as 
the  heat  is  up,  and  if  it  does  not  show  the  usual  appearances  of  a 
jjood  liquor,  add  to  it  two  or  three  buckets  of  the  swill,  and  let  it 
lie  close  covered  for  three  or  four  hours,  when  it  must  be  again 
stirred,  and  if  not  then  at  work  add  more  swill,  stir  and  add  swill 
till  it  comes  round.  It  will  be  necessary  to  watch  it  carefully  as 
soon  as  it  comes  to  a  proper  state  of  fermentation  ;  for  the  means 
that  has  been  used  to  force  it  will  continue  to  operate  so  powerful- 
ly, that  unless  the  fermentation  is  timely  checked  by  giving  it  lime, 
the  whole  contents  of  the  vat  will  be  irrevocably  lost. 

When  a  vat  is  out  of  order  for  want  of  lirne,  the  bubbles  that 
rise  will  also  be  white  and  will  fall  with  a  hissing  noise  as  before, 
but  the  colour  and  feel  of  the  liquor  will  be  different  The  colour 
when  overlimed  will  be  of  a  light  dirty  looking  yellow,  and  when 
underlimed,  of  a  bluish  green,  in  the  first  stages  of  falling  off;  and 
instead  of  being  smooth,  will  feel  rough  when  rubbed  between  the 
fitfgers.     When  it  goesloff  from  this  cause,  as  much  lime  should  be 


209 

acided  as  will  bring  it  back  to  a  healthful  state,  and  the  liquor 
should  be  heated  to  1 50^  or  1 60"  Fh'f  On  adding  the  lime,  put  in 
&  bucket  of  swill  to  revive  the  panary  fermentation,  which  will 
have  been  injured  by  having  gone  too  far.  A  vat  set  with  a  full 
quantity  of  strong  woad  will  ever  be  liable  to  get  out  of  order,  but 
this  will  be  mostly  prevented  by  a  skilful  workman,  provided  he 
pays  proper  attention  tathe  working  of  the  liquor  during  the  day 
and  gives  it  a  critical  inspection  when  stirred  in  the  evening. 

A  vat  liquor  that  has  been  overlimed  even  to  a  great  excess, 
may  be  brought  back  to  a  healthful  state  by  cooling  it  down,  and 
putting  in  bran  bags,  if  care  be  taken  to  stop  the  fermentation, 
with  lime,  when  it  comes  too  again  ;  but  when  a  vat  is  out  of  or- 
der, from  not  having  been  sufficiently  supplied  with  lime,  and  this 
has  been  permitted,  either  from  neglect  or  want  of  skill  to  proceed 
to  an  extreme  deficiency,  the  fermentation  will  come  on  so  rapid- 
Jy,  and  in  so  sudden  a  manner,  that,  in  a  few  hours,  the  bottom 
will  swim  on  the  top,  and  give  out  a  strong  fetid  odour  arising  from 
a  putrefactive  fermentation  having  taken  place.  When  tliis  oc- 
curs, the  contents  of  the  vat  is  lost,  and  all  attempts  to  revive  it, 
will  be  only  incurring  expense  without  the  least  prospect  of  suc- 
cess. But  such  extreme  cases  never  can  occur  wh.ere  the  work- 
men have  had  due  practice,  and  are  at  all  attentive  to  their  busi- 
ness. 

The  vegetable  ferments  I  have  recommended  to  be  used  in  a 
vat,  are  bran,  Cornell,  madder,  malt,  and  hops ;  but  the  materials 
that  may  be  used,  include  all  the  ferments  that  are  promotive  of 
the  panary  fermentation,  such  as  malt  dust,  distiller's  swill,  beer 
grounds,  yeast,  and  ground  grain  of  all  kinds — it  is  useless,  how- 
ever, for  a  dyer  to  use  too  many,  and  in  fact,  Cornell  and  madder 
will  answer  every  purpose.  No  stronger  proof  can  be  given  of 
the  liabihty  of  mankind  to  be  deceived,  than  the  fact  that  a  few 
years  since,  a  work  was  sold,  in  a  pamphlet  form,  in  all  parts  of 
this  country  by  a  foreigner  at  fifty  and  even  one  hundred  dollars 
each,  professing  to  contain  a  substitute  for  woad,  which,  after  all. 
proved  to  be  nothing  more  than  the  swill  I  have  before  described. 


210 

tizi  has  for  a  lon»  time  been  used  by  many  woad  dyers  lo  promolt! 
llie  fermentation  of  their  rats.  However  strang-e  it  may  appeai 
10  intellig^ent  persons,  there  are  at  this  time  a  great  many  who 
firmly  believe  that  a  liquor  from  bran,  madder,  and  hops  posses- 
^l  the  Tirtue  of  woad. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  recapitulate  what  has  been  said  relative 
to  the  working  of  the  woad  rat,  when  every  thing  goes  on  in  a 
regular  way. 

It  is  dLficuIt  to  give  directions,  by  which  a  vat  of  this  kind  may 
be  worked  r»gularly,  as  any  little  variation  in  the  strength  of  the 
woad,  or  of  the  lime,  will  prevent  it.  The  judgment  of  the  rat- 
man  must  therefore  be  exercised  on  all  occasions,  and  lime  and 
ferments  added  according  to  the  situation  of  the  liquor.  The  near- 
lit  rule  that  can  be  given,  is  the  following: 

A  vat,  as  I  bare  before  stated,  that  is  set  with  five  hundred  of 
itrong  woad  will  take  ten  quarter  pecks  of  lime  when  brought  to 
work,  after  working  the  first  day,  it  will  require  two  quarters,  and 
after  the  second  days  working,  one  quartern.  It  has  then  to  be 
>enewed  by  adding  twelre  pounds  of  indigo,  fifty-six  pounds  of 
woad,  three  pounds  of  madder,  and  one  gallon  of  Cornell,  the  heat 
being  brought  up  to  ISO*'  Fh.  before  the  ingredients  are  added. 
The  rat  to  be  well  stirred  after  the  ingredients  are  put  in,  and 
again  at  nine  o'clock  the  same  evening,  also  tliree  or  foiir  times 
during  the  following  day ;  at  the  last  stirring,  if  the  state  of  the 
vat  should  not  require  it  sooner,  add  two  quarter  pecks  of  lime, 
iilso  two  after  the  first  days  working,  and  one  after  the  second 
days.  These  directions  are  to  be  foDowed  during  every  renewal 
to  long  as  woad  is  addend,  but  afterwards  when  only  indigo  and  fer- 
ments are  put  in,  one  quarter  peck  after  renewing,  one  quarter 
the  first  night  after  working,  and  half  a  one  the  second  night,  will 
l>e  suScieiAt.  When  neither  indigo  nor  woad  is  put  in,  tliat  is, 
while  the  v^t  is  working  down,  a  still  Einaller  quantity  is  requisite. 


211 

When  cloth  has  to  be  coloured  iu  the  woad  va(.  it  is  first  tc  he 
well  scoured  with  fullers^  earth,  and  then  boiled  with  one  and  a 
half  pound  of  cutbear  for  each  end  of  twenty  yards  for  one  liour. 
The  liquor  being-  cdolcd  down,  the  cloth  is  to  be  wound  up. on  the 
reel  and  left  to  drain  ;  the  workmen  then  throws  it  on  a  hand-bar- 
row, and  carries  it  to  the  vat  on  which  they  lay  the  barrow,  the 
cloth  is  lifted  bj'  the  men  into  ihe  liquor,  one  fold  at  a  time,  open 
and  square,  and  a  third  person  takes  it  in  with  two  lig'ht  sticks. 
In  doing-  this,  he  must  be  careful  not  to  let  any  air  go  down  with 
the  cloth.  When  the  whole  is  taken  in,  it  lies  on  the  cross  at  one 
side  of  the  vat,  and  the  person  who  took  it  in,  works  it  from  side 
to  side  with  a  pair  of  hawks  during  thirty  or  fifty  minutes,  accord- 
ing- to  the  deptii  of  the  colour  wauted,  and  the  strength  of  the  vat. 
The  hawks  are  made  of  iron,  with  sockets,  which  are  placed  in 
wootlen  handles  about  eig-hteen  inches  long-.  At  the  end  of  the 
sockets  are  iron  rowels  about  the  size  of  a  cent,  and  nearly  as 
thick,  the  rowels  are  notched,  and  with  these  the  cloth  is  worked 
backwards  and  forwards.  It  is  necessary  to  be  very  particular 
during  the  work  that  no  air  be  admitted  under  the  cloth,  for  when 
this  occurs,  it  will  leave  light-coloured  spots  on  it.  The  hawlser 
must  have  considerable  practice  to  perform  this  work  with  perfect 
safety. 

It  often  occurs  in  England,  that  cloth  is  dyed  in  the  flannel  be- 
fore it  is  fulled.  When  this  is  done,  it  must  be  well  scoured  in 
fullers^  earth,  after  it  has  been  boiled  and  the  lists  covered  with 
webbing,  and  then  worked  in  the  vat  after  the  same  manner  as  the 
cloth.  When  it  has  been  coloured,  it  is  well  washed,  scoured  in 
fullers'  earth,  and  the  webbing  taken  off.  It  is  now  fit  for  fulling. 
When  fulled  and  cut  to  the  furnace,  the  colour  is  made  up  to  pat- 
tern in  the  vat,  without  covering  the  lists  with  webbing.  If  yel- 
low list  has  been  employed,  its  colour  will  be  a  lively  green  when 
finished,  and  it  would  require  a  good  judg^c  to  distinguish  the  cloth 
from  wool  dved. 


212 


RECEIPTS  FOR  DYING  BLUE  IX  THE  FURx\ACE. 

THIS  is  often  done  for  very  common  purposes,  but  never  on 
any  thing  like  fine  goods.  The  following  is  tlie  best  receipt  I  have 
known  for  dying  blue  in  the  furnace,  it  is  intended  for  twenty- 
eight  pounds  of  stuff.     Use 

3  pounds  of  alum. 

2    do.      of  cream  of  tartar. 

2    do.      of  muriate  of  tin,  (tin  dissolved  in  spirits  of  salt.} 

2h  do.  of  logwood. 
Boil  the  wares  one  hour ;  heave  in  the  cloth,  and  boil  it  one  hour. 
"When  this  has  been  done,  throw  away  two-thirds  of  the  liquor, 
and  fill  up  with  water — ^bring  the  furnace  to  a  boil,  and  put  into 
it  one  pound  and  three-quarters  of  chemick ;  let  the  liquor  boil 
after  the  chemick  is  in  fourteen  njinutes,  cool  down,  enter  the 
goods,  and  let  them  boil  till  of  the  colour  wanted.  This  colour 
was  of  a  beautiful  dark  blue,  and  stood  exposure  to  the  weather 
for  more  than  a  month  before  any  sensible  change  took  place,  but 
in  another  month,  some  parts  of  it  were  changed  to  a  dirty  brown. 

A  blue  may  be  made  with  logwood,  by  previously  boiling  the 
frooUens,  to  be  dyed,  in  copperas  and  blue  vitriol ;  but  this  is  so 
wretched  a  colour,  and  so  very  fugitive,  that  it  would  be  unwor- 
thy of  a  place  in  a  work  professing  to  give  instructions  for  dying 
of  cloth.  The  process  may  be  found  in  almost  all  the  works  on 
small  dying. 

Receipts  for  colouring  a  full  navy  blue,  for  mixtures,  for  sattinet, 
or  other  coarse  work.     It  is  for  eighty  pounds  of  scoured  wool. 

For  the  boiling  use. 

12  pounds  of  alum. 
3^    do.       of  argol. 
Boil  these  one  hour,  -cool  down,  heave  in  the  wool,  and  boil  two 


213 

iiours  and  a  half;  let  it  lie  in  all  night.     Prepare  a  fresh  liquor,  in 
i   which  boil 

18  pounds  uf  logwood. 

5     do.      of  peachvrood  (nicaragua.) 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  tlien  the  goods  two  and  a  half,  and  let  it 
lie  all  night,  wash.  &c. 


TO  DYE  BLUE  ON  COTTON. 

I  NEED  not  say  much  on  this  subject,  as  the  vat  for  dying  blue 
on  cotton,  is  very  well  known  in  this  country. 

A  vat  of  one  hundred  gallons  is  filled  with  soft  water,  into  which 
put  four  pounds  of  the  best  indigo  well  ground  ;  to  each  pound  of 
indigo  add  two  pounds  of  green  copperas,  and  two  and  a  half  pounds 
of  diT  slacked  lime.  Add  the  ingredients  in  succession,  as  they 
have  been  mentioned,  stir  them  together  for  half  an  hour  and  cover 
down,  then  stir  frequently,  and  on  the  second  or  third  day  it  wiil 
be  fit  for  use ;  some  persons  add  a  little  pot-ash,  about  half  a  pound 
to  the  quantity  mentioned,  but  most  dyers  leave  it  out. 


TO  DYE  BLUE  ON  SILK. 

TO  prepare  the  silk  for  receiving  the  dye,  take  twenty  pounds 
of  silk  and  boil  it  in  a  liquor  with  seven  pounds  of  white  soap,  until 
the  silk  becomes  wliite.  Stick  up,  make  a  lather  of  warm  soap 
liquor  that  is  blued  with  indigo,  give  it  a  few  turns  in  this,  wring 
out,  dry,  and  stick  up.  There  should  be  three  hanks  on  each 
string,  and  two  striugs  ?re  sufficient  for  one  s<^ick.  It  is  now  fit 
for  dying,  which  raust  be  done  in  the  ash-vat  to  the  pattern  want~ 
ed. 


211 


TO  DYE  SILK  A  SAPPHIRE  BLUE. 

WASH  the  silk  out  of  the  suds  after  the  boiliogr  process  last  des. 
cribed,  pump  up  a  bath  with  cold  spring  water,  put  into  it  a  ladle 
of  alum  liquor,  (being  from  four  to  &ye  quarts,)  prepare  half  a  pint 
of  sulphate  of  indigo,  or  what  is  usually  called  chemick,  of  which 
add  to  the  water  as  much  as  may  be  wanted  to  produce  the  intend- 
ed colour,  and  as  the  silk  will  be  of  the  colour  of  the  liquor,  there 
will  be  no  difficulty  in  the  operation.  Colours  maybe  died  in  this 
way  from  a  pale  to  a  dark  sky  blue. 


TO  DYE  SILK  A  MAZARINE  BLLT:. 

FOR  this  colour  the  silk  mu?t  be  prepared  by  boiling  it  in  black 
soap;  wash  out  of  the  suds  and  siick  up.  The  colour  has  to  be 
filled  up  with  cutbear.  Make  a  strong  decocrion  of  this  by  tnjiliug 
it  one  hour,  and  strain  the  clear  liquor  through  a  siere  into  a  back. 
The  silk  has  to  be  well  worked  in  the  cutbear  liquor  for  a  conside- 
rable time:  wring  out.  head  it  oif  in  seven  or  eight  knots,  and 
heave  it  into  the  blue  vat  till  of  the  colour  wanted,  ^^'ring  out, 
well-wash,  run  it  through  a  strong  soap  lather,  wring  out  and  dry* 


TO  MAKE  SOAP  LEES  FOR  PRODUCING  THE  LATHER. 

TAKE  lumps  of  lime  that  is  strong  and  has  been  recently  taken 
from  the  kiln ;  put  a  quantity  into  a  lage  butt,  pour  on  boiling  wa- 
ter, stir  well  and  let  it  stand  a  week.  IVIake  use  of  this  liquor  to 
produce  the  lather  with  soap  that  is  used  for  finishing  the  silk.  It 
must  always  be  used  cold.  Wherever  directions  are  given  for 
using  a  lather,  after  silk  is  dyed,  it  always  refers  to  tbat  which  i& 
here  mentioned. 


ki5 


RECEIPTS  FOR  COLOURING  OF  RED. 

MADDER  reds  are  usually  done  on  woollens  after  they  have  been 
fulled,  as  the  soap  used  in  fulling  changes  the  colour  of  the  red. — 
The  cloths  dyed  madder  red  are  mostly  of  a  coarse  quality,  such 
as  flannels,  long  baize,  mocks  for  embossing,  and  army  cloths  for 
common  soldiers.  I  shall  give  two  receipts,  one  for  a  flannel,  and 
another  for  a  baize  weighing  fifty-seven  pounds,  and  it  will  be  easy 
for  those  who  wish  to  dye  red  to  add  or  reduce  from  the  receipts 
according  to  the  weight  of  the  material  they  may  want  to  colour. 

Doctor  Cooper  asserts?,  p.  156,  that  "  the  solutions  of  tin  give 
but  dead  colours  with  madder."  This  assertion  of  the  Doctor's  is 
very  strange,  for  no  madder  red  is  ever  dyed  in  England  without 
the  cloth  being  prepared  with  more  or  less  of  the  solution  of^tin, 
and  it  is  well  known  that  the  more  is  used  in  moderation,  the  better 
the  colour  will  be.  It  is  true  the  tin  liquor  is  not  used  in  the  same 
liquor  with  the  madder,  but  unless  the  cloth  is  prepared  with  this 
material  before  dying,  the  colour  will  not  be  a  bright  red,  but 
Tather  of  a  brick  colour. 


FOR  DYING  A  FLANNEL  RED. 

FOR  each  one,  use  in  the  boiling  or  preparation, 
3  pounds  of  alum. 
1      do.     of  argol,  or  tartar. 
^     do.     of  tin  liquor. 

The  ingredients  are  put  into  the  water  when  it  is  boiling,  and  the 
goods  are  boiled  two  hour  and  a  half;  when  taken  out  they  should 
be  thrown  until  they  are  as  cool  as  is  pleasant  to  the  hands ;  they 
are  then  to  be  thrown  into  narrow  folds,  are  rolled  up  close  togeth- 
er, then  wraped  up  in  a  thick  coarse  cloth,  and  left  three  or  four 


216 

davs,  or  until  they  become  quite  sour  to  the  taste  and  have  a  sour 
smell.  A  fresh  liquor  must  be  brought  on  in  which  the  goods  are 
to  be  finished.  When  the  water  is  near  boiling,  a  gallon  or  two  of 
bran  are  to  be  thrown  in,  which  is  to  be  scummed  otf  just  as  it  be- 
gins to  boil.  When  the  water  is  scummed  clean,  the  heat  must  be 
lowered  down  to  about  130°  Fh.  Let  the  madder  now  be  put  in 
and  well  stirred  through  the  liquor,  then  the  cloth  must  be  rapidly 
entered  and  kept  briskly  turned  over  thie  reel  and  well  opened  all 
the  time  it  is  working.  For  each  flannel  of  twelve  pounds  weight, 
use  five  pounds  of  the  best  crop  madder.  Soon  as  the  cloth  is  in 
the  furnace,  put  on  the  fire  and  bring  the  liquor  to  a  spring  heat  in 
two  hours,  or  about  SO^'^  Fh.,  then  draw  the  fire  and  let  the  liquor 
cool  down  again  for  half  an  hour  or  more,  when  the  colour  will  be 
finished.  If  the  red  should  prove  too  yellow,  put  a  small  quantity 
of  urine  into  the  liquor,  run  the  cloth  again  for  ten  or  fifteen  mi- 
nutes, and  it  will  be  red  enough.  When  the  cloth  is  taken  out  of 
the  furnace  rinse  it  well  in  clear  water  till  clean,  and  dry  it  in  the 
tenters  as  soon  afterwards  as  possible. 


TO  DYE  A  RED  ON  A  LONG  BAIZE  WEIGHING  FROM 
FIFTY  TO  SIXTY  POUNDS. 

For  boiling  use. 
10  pounds  of  alum. 
3i     do.     of  fine  argol. 
3      do.    of  tin  liquor. 
Boil  the  ingredients,  as  before  directed,  then  the  cloth  during  two 
hours  and  a  half,  wrap  up  and  scour  as  before.     For  finishing,  use 
twenty -five  pounds  of  the  best  crop  madder,  and  proceed  as  for 
fianoels. 


217 


Receipt  for  a  maMer  red  for  twenty  yards  of  cloth,  in  which 
none  of  the  tin  liquor  is  used.  These  colours  are  of  a  dark  rich 
red,  but  do  not  approach  as  near  to  the  scarlet  as  either  of  %. 
others. 

For  the  lolling,  use 

4  pounds  of  alum. 

6  ounces  of  cream  of  tartar. 
Boil  the  wares  as  for  the  reds,  run  up,  heave  in  the  cloth,  and  boil 
it  for  two  hours  and  a  half— wrap  them  up,  and  let  lay  to  sour. 
For  finishing,  use  to  to  each  yard  nine  ounces  of  the  best  crop 
madder  in  a  fresh  liquor.  The  cloth  should  be  had  in  at  a  blood 
heat,  and  well  reeled  for  six  hours :  by  this  time  the  liquor  should 
just  break  out  to  a  spring  heat,  the  fire  to  be  then  drawn,  and  the 
cloth  to  run  half  an  hour  afterwards.  Proceed  as  for  the  other 
reds. 

Those  who  attempt  to  dye  red  on  woollen  must  take  care  not  to 
let  the  madder  liquor  boil,  as  the  yellow  of  the  madder  will  becomie 
fixed  on  the  goods,  and  spoil  the  colour. 


TO  DYE  RED  ON  COTTON. 


IT  is  to  be  understood,  that  in  the  receipts  I  obtained  from  Man^ 
Chester,  for  dying  of  cotton,  there  will  usually  be  two  given  for  pro- 
ducing each  colour-the  first  will  be  for  the  best  and  most  perma- 
nent colour,  and  the  second,  for  such  as  are  common  and  cheap. 

Receipt  to  dye  a  fine  and  permanent  red  on  cotton,  in  which  there 
are  five  different  processes , 

First  process.     After  the  cotton  has  been  well  boiled  and  wash- 
ed,  dry,  and  divide  it  into  handfuls  of  half  a  pound  each;  tie  a 
19 


218 

uuu  eacn  parcel  loosely,  so  as  to  leave  room  for  the  dye 
^  -  .  .rate  under  the  string's.  For  each  pound  of  cotton,  take 
four  onnces  of  well  pounded  nut-galls,  boil  them  half  an  hour,  or 
until  the  g^lls  are  soft,  and  for  every  pound  of  cotton,  add  five 
quarts  of  water.  Take  five  quarts  of  this  liquor,  into  which  dip 
a  pound  of  cotton,  until  thoroughly  soaked,  repeat  the  operation 
three  times,  then  put  the  cotton  into  another  tub,  and  pour  the  gal^ 
liquor  on  it — proceed  in  the  same  way  with  every  pound  of  cotton, 
until  all  is  done — let  the  whole  lie  till  next  morning.  Then  wring 
out  evenly,  so  that  the  hanks  may  be  equally  pressed  in  all  parts, 
then  dry  it-  Warm  the  gall  liquor,  proceed  as  before,  and  let  the 
cotton  lie  in  another  night,  wring  as  directed,  after  the  first  galling, 
and  dry. 

Second  process.  To  every  pound  of  cotton,  dissolve  half  a  pound 
of  fine  pounded  alum  in  five  quarts  of  water,  in  a  copper  pan. 
"When  the  alum  is  dissolved,  add  to  everj*  pound  of  it  two  ounces 
of  pearl-ash — proceed  in  soaking  and  drying  the  cotton  twice,  as 
directed  for  galling ;  with  this  difference,  that  it  lie  in  the  alum 
liquor  four  or  five  days.  Before  maddering,  put  one  pound  and  a 
half  on  each  stick,  wash  it  quite  clean  in  running  water,  and 
\vring  welL 

Pracesss  the  third.  Take  a  tub  large  enough  to  wash  the  cot- 
ton in,  fill  it  with  warm  water,  and  dissolve  in  it  one  ounce  of 
pearl-ash  for  every  pound  of  cotton,  turn  the  cotton  in  as  you 
would  the  yam  in  the  blue  vat,  work  it  in  the  liquor  for  fifteen 
minutes,  wring  out  evenly,  and  it  will  be  ready  for  the  following 
process. 

Process  the  fourth.  Take  a  broad  copper  pan,  lar^e  enough  to 
hold  for  every  pound  of  cotton,  twelve  quarts  of  water,  put  into 
Uiis  liquor  one  pound  of  the  best  crop  madder  for  each  pound  of 
cotton,  fill  the  pan  within  seven  of  eight  inches  of  the  top^whea 
the  madder  is  in,  break  the  scum  on  the  top,  place  the  cotton  on 
sticks,  as  before  directed,  and  when  the  water  is  milk-warm,  turn 


219 

ihe  cotton  in  as  in  the  blue  vat — bring  the  liquor  to  a  boiling  heat 
in  one  hour  and  a  half,  but  not  to  boil  out — let  it  lie  at  that  heat 
for  fifteen  minutes,  then  draw  the  fire,  place  the  cotton  hollo vr  and 
straight,  and  let  it  lie  so  for  an  hour  or  more — then  raise  it  out  of 
the  liquor  and  wring  gently,  shaking  the  madder  well  out  of  it, 
one  string  at  a  time — wash  clean  from  the  madder,  and  wring  the 
cotton  evenly  and  drj'.  In  the  summer  dr}'  it  in  the  shade,  in  the 
winter  in  a  stove. 

Process  the  ffth.  If  the  colour  be  not  deep  enough,  take  to  every 
pound  of  cotton  four  ounces  of  brazilletto  chips,  boil  them  one  hour 
and  strain  off  the  liquor  into  a  tub,  add  to  it  urine  or  lime  until  the 
liquor  has  a  pink  cast.  When  the  liquor  becomes  cool  enough  to 
bear  the  hand,  put  in  the  cotton  and  turn  it  over  eight  or  ten  times, 
then  heave  it  out  of  the  liquor  and  add  for  every  pound  of  cotton 
half  an  ounce  of  alum  dissolved  in  hot  water,  turn  in  eight  or  ten 
times,  wring  out  and  dry. 

Receipt  for  a  common  madder  red  on  cotton. 

After  the  cotton  has  been  well  boiled  and  washed,  use  to  eacfh 
pound  one  and  a  half  pound  of  galls,  boil  as  before,  turn  in  the  cot- 
ton, squeeze  out,  turn  in  again,  handle  well  and  let  it  lay  all  night. 
Wring  it  out  in  the  morning,  and  for  each  pound  of  cotton  boil  one 
pound  of  cl lipped  brazilletto  for  half  an  hour,  take  off  the  clear 
liquor  and  add  a  liltle  urine  or  lime  till  it  has  a  pink  cast,  when  a 
drop  is  let  fall  on  the  back  of  the  hand  ;  fill  Up  the  pan  and  boil  the 
chips  a  second  time  for  half  an  hour,  proceed  with  this  liquor  as 
with  the  last,  when  it  is  so  cool  that  you  can  bear  the  hand  in  it, 
ilissolve  for  each  pound  of  cotton  two  ounces  of  alum  and  add  it 
■  the  liquor,  mix  well  and  turn  in  the  cotton,  work  quick  at  first, 
en  slower,  turn  down  and  let  it  lie  one  hour,  then  wring  out  and 
irn  it  in  the  liquor  that  was  first  boiled,  work  it  well  in  this  and 
turn  it  down  for  fifteen  minutes,  then   raise  out  and  wring  a  little 
'  see  if  it  be  of  the  right  shade ;  should  it  be  too  muph  on  the 


^0 

crimson,  you  must  dissolve  for  each  pound  of  cotton  half  an  ounce 
of  alum  in  the  colouring  liquor,  turn  in  the  cotton  aguin  and  han- 
dle eight  or  ten  times,  wring  out  and  dry,  in  the  summer  in  the 
shade,  in  the  winter  in  a  stove,  or  warm  room. 

Receipt  to  dye  silk  of  a  blood  red. 

I  cannot  answer  for  this  receipt ;  it  was  given  me  by  a  person 
who  was  a  silk  dyer,  and  as  such  I  shall  add  it 

For  each  pound  of  silk  take  one  pound  of  alum'and  a  quarter  of 
a  pound  of  cream  of  tartar,  boil  them  in  a  pail  full  of  water  for 
twenty  minutes,  let  the  silk  steep  in  this  liquor  for  two  or  three 
hours,  take  it  out,  rinse,  and  beat  on  a  block,  then  hang  up  and 
dry. 

Put  four  ounces  of  powdered  Aleppo  galls  into  a  pail  full  of  wa- 
ter, set  it  over  the  fire  till  the  hand  can  just  bear  the  heat,  then 
put  in  the  silk,  let  it  lie  two  hours,  take  out  and  dry. 

Put  into  a  linen  bag  half  a  pound  of  ground  Brazil  wood,  boil  it 
in  four  qnarts  of  bran  water,  keep  the  kettle  covered  while  boiling, 
then  take  the  kettle  off  the  fire  and  let  it  stand  all  night,  in  the 
morning  add  to  it  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  pot-ash,  boil  it  again  one 
hour,  then  pour  it  into  as  much  river  water  as  there  is  liquor. 

Take  out  the  bag  containing  the  Brazil,  skim  the  liquor,  and 
put  in  the  silk  ;  cover  the  vessel  close  and  let  it  remain  one  hour, 
wring  out  and  rinse  very  clean  in  river  water,  repeat  the  opera- 
tion and  dry  it  in  the  shade ;  if  the  colour  be  not  strong  enough, 
boil  the  dye  ag^in  and  repeat  the  operation.  Pass  the  silk  through 
a  lather  of  soap  and  rinse  in  clean  river  water. 

To  dye  yellow  on  wool  and  wool  If  n  eloth. 

For  a  piece  of  Lancashire  flannel.     For  the  boiling,  use 


221 

3  pounds  of  alum. 

J      do.     of  tin  liquor. 
Boil  the  ingredients  for  half  an  hour,  heave  in  the  flannel  and  boil 
it  two  hours. 

It  must  be  finished  in  a  fresh  liquor  with  welds  and  a  small  quan- 
tity of  pearl-ash.  This  is  a  very  beautiful  and  highly  permanent 
colour ;  the  pattern  I  have  by  me  is  still  very  brilliant  and  full- 
bodied,  though  it  was  dyed  more  than  twenty  years  since.  Goods 
prepared  the  same  as  this  in  the  boiling  and  finished  in  a  separate 
liquor  in  a  strong  decoction  of  black  oak  bark,  makes  a  fine  yel- 
low, but  not  of  so  fine  a  green  tinge,  nor  so  permanent  as  the  weld- 
To  colour  nine  pounds  of  wool  a  Jine  yellow. 

Boil  with  one  and  a  half  pounds  of  alum  for  three  hours  and  let 
the  wool  lie  in  the  liquor  all  night ;  take  it  out  in  the  morning, 
wash  and  bring  on  a  fresh  liquor ;  finish  with  nine  pounds  and  a 
half  of  welds,  boil  a  quarter  of  an  hour  and  let  lie  in  all  night. — 
Take  out  in  the  morning,  wash,  and  dry  it. 

To  colour  eighty-five  pounds  of  wool  of  a  strong  yellow. 

Boil  with  ten  pounds  of  alum,  let  lie  in  all  night ;  take  out  in  the 
morning  and  wash,  then  in  a  fresh  liquor  boil 
30  pounds  of  weld. 
6     do.      of  fustic. 
Boil  the  ingredients  in  bags  two  hours,  cool  down,  heave  in  the 
wool,  and  boil  it  one  hour,  run  the  furnace  up  till  coo!,  land  the 
wool,  wash  and  dry  it. 


19- 


222 


To  colour  one  hundred  and  thirty  pounds  of  list  yaj-n  a  strong 

yellow. 

For  the  hoilin^^  use 
18  pounds  of  alum. 
2      do.     of  cream  ®f  tartar. 
Boil  the  ingredients  one  hour,  cool  down,  heave  in  the  yam,  boil 
it  two  hours,  and  let  it  lie  all  night.     Bring  on  a  fresh  liquor  in 
the  morning  and  boil  fifty  pounds  of  fustic  chips  in  bags  for  two 
jiours,  lift  the  bags  out,  heave  in  the  yarn,  boil  it  one  hour,  land 
and  wash,  or  if  not  strong  enough  in  colour,  let  it  lie  in  all  night.  " 

It  is  necessary,  when  yarn  is  dyed  for  list,  that  it  should  be  pret- 
ty <rell  alumed  to  prevent  its  fulling  up  faster  than  the  cloth. 

Three  receipts  for  dying  yellow  on  cotton. 

The  cotton  for  this  colour  must  be  very  well  cleansed  previousv 
Jy  to  dying,  and  when  bleached,  it  will  take  a  fine  colour.  Whe- 
ther it  is  raw  or  bleached,  it  must  be  boiled  in  the  twisted  hank, 
in  soft  water,  until  it  sinks  in  the  liquor,  and  must  then  be  well 
washed.  To  prepare  it  for  receiving  the  dye,  boil  it  with  six 
ounces  of  alum,  and  one  ounce  of  verdigris  for  each  pound  of  cot- 
ton— alurii  it  twice,  as  directed,  for  red,  and  in  the  second  alum- 
ing,  let  it  lie  four  days.  When  it  has  been  well  alumed  and  dried, 
boil  one  pound  of  fustic  for  every  pound  of  cotton,  and  make  as 
much  liquor  as  will  soak  the  cotton  twice — take  half  the  liquor 
and  turn  in  the  cotton  ;  when  the  colour  is  nearly  drawn  out  of 
this,  wring  out,  turn  in  the  other  half  of  the  liquor,  and  wjien  the 
rolour  is  drawn  out  of  that  also,  which  it  will  be  in  about  fifteen 
minutes,  then  wring  out,  and  it  is  finished. 

Second  receipt  for  dying  yellow  on  cotton. 

When  thp  cotton  is  dry,  after  alurning,  take  one  pound  of  welds,  and 


223 

oue  and  a  half  ounce  of  pearl-ash  to  eacli  pound  of  cotton — wlicn 
this  liquor  has  been  well  boiled,  wring  the  cotton  and  turn  it  in  at 
the  usual  heat  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  raise  it  out  and  dis- 
solve one  ounce  of  blue  vitriol  to  each  pound  of  cotton,  put  it  into 
the  former  liquor,  turn  in  the  cotton  for  fifteen  minutes,  wring-  out, 
and  it  is  done. 

This  colour  will  have  a  g-reen  cast,  which  is  much  admired  ;  but 
if  wanted  of  a  golden  yellow,  it  may  be  produced  by  boiling-  two 
or  three  ounces  of  annatto  in  a  sauce*. pan,  with  two  or  three 
ounces  of  pearl-ash,  adding  a  very  little  of  this  solution  to  the 
weld  liquor  before  putting  in  the  cotton  ;  but  if  too  much  of  this 
be  added,  the  yellow  will  be  too  brown. 

Third  receipt  for  dying  yellow  on  cotton. 

Let  the  cotton  be  boiled  and  well  washed.  Dissolve  for  each 
pound  one  ounce  of  alum,  turn  in  the  cotton,  handle  well,  let  it 
lie  for  half  an  hour,  and  wring  out  even.  For  each  pound  of  cot- 
ton, use  one  pound  of  ground  black  oak  bark,  add  to  it  one-eightli 
of  an  ounce  of  pearl-ash,  and  pour  on  it  as  much  boiling  water  as 
will  soak  the  cotton  twice  ;  stir  these  well  together,  take  half  the 
liquor,  turn  in  the  cotton  at  the  usual  heat,  work  it  well  and  raise 
it  on  a  pin*  To  each  pound  of  cotton,  dissolve  one  drachm  of 
verdigris,  add  it  to  the  first  liquor,  and  turn  in  the  cotton  for 
twelve  or  fifteen  minutes — wring  out  and  give  it  the  other  half  of 
the  liquor,  adding,  after  it  has  been  dipped  in  this,  the  same  quan- 
tity of  verdigris  as  in  the  last,  wring  out  and  dry  in  tlie  shade. 

Receij,t  for  dying  yellow  on  silk. 

Boil  the  silk  in  soap  till  white,  wash  it  well  out,  and  alum,  wash 
it  in  two  cold  waters.  Fill  a  furnace  with  clear  soft  water,  put 
into  it  half  a  bundle  of  welds,  and  bring  it  to  a  spring  heat,  but  not 
to  boil  out.  Prepare  a  bath  of  clean  soft  water,  and  put  into  it  of 
ijie  yellow  weld  Jiquor  to  the  colour  wanted.  If  for  a  deep  yelloW: 


224 

make  up  and  finish  in  a  lather  of  soap ;  but  if  for  a  jonquillc,  this 
is  not  wanted — wring  out  and  dry  in  a  stove. 

We  began  our  dying  receipts  with  black,  and  have  proceeded 
to  give  directions  how  to  .make  the  dyers  three  primitive  colours. 
Before  giving  receipts  for  making  compound  colours,  we  shall  give 
instructions  for  dying  white  on  woollens  and  silk,  and  stoving  them. 

Woollen  cloth  and  cassimere  are  many  of  them  coloured  white 
for  military  uniforms  and  facings,  and  it  is  for  such  purposes  most 
of  them  are  used.  White  cassimere  waistcoats,  however,  are  not 
unfrequently  used  as  well  as  white  cloth  pantaloons.  Flannels  are 
often  whitened  in  the  stove  by  sulphur  bleaching. 

Receipt  for  colouring  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds  of  cloth  of  an 

uniform  %chite» 

The  cloth  must  be  drawn  over  a  perch  to  see  that  it  is  clear  in 
the  ground,  and  free  from  iron  moulds,  or  any  other  stains  that  may 
be  likely  to  show,  when  coloured.  It  has  then  to  be  well  pized 
w^ith  fullers'  earth,  and  afterwards  looked  over  again  to  see  if  any 
defects  make  their  appearance  that  were  not  before  visible ;  and  if 
any  there  are  that  will  not  discharge  by  rubbing  with  warm  soap 
9uds,  the  cloth  will  not  be  fit  for  whitening. 

^"hile  the  cloth  has  been  preparing,  a  clean  copper  furnace, 
holding  one  hundred  gallons  of  water,  must  be  nearly  filled  and 
brouglit  on  to  boil ;  whilst  the  heat  is  coming  up,  shave  into  it 
twelve  or  fourteen  pounds  of  the  best  white  soap,  and  bring  it  to 
boil.  Care  must  be  taken  when  it  begins  to  boil,  that  it  does  not 
flow  over  the  furnace,  wliich  it  is  very  apt  to  do ;  to  prevent  this, 
keep  a  bucket  of  cold  water  by  the  furnace,  and  when  you  find 
that  stirring  with  a  rake  will  not  prevents  its  rising,  throw  in  the 
water.  When  the  liquor  has  boiled  a  sufficient  time  to  dissolve 
all  the  soap  completely,  take  a  bucket  of  the  liquor,  say  three  gal- 


225 

Ions,  mix  it  with  tTiree  of  soft  water,  and  with  it  scour  the  clotb 
ag^in  in  the  stocks  without  washing  out  the  soap. 

Uniform  whites  may  be  coloured  either  in  large  wooden  backs, 
ot  in  a  copper  furnace,  with  a  white  willow  basket  made  to  fit  the 
inside.  Whatever  vessels  are  intended  for  this  purpose,  they  must 
be  such  as  will  not  impart  any  stain  to  the  goods,  and  must  be  kept 
clean  and  exclusively  appropriated  for  that  purpose.       , 

When  done  in  a  furnace,  it  must  be  made  very  clean,  and  filled 
with  perfectly  clean  water.  A  fire  is  to  be  put  under,  and  the 
liquor  raised  to  the  temperature  of  new  milk ;  at  this  heat  as  much 
of  the  boiled  soap  should  be  added,  as  will  make  the  liquor  very 
white ;  when  this  has  been  added,  and  the  liquor  stirred  so  as  to 
mix  the  soap  well  through  it,  a  small  quantity  of  chemick  is  put 
in,  just  as  much  as  will  make  the  liquor  of  a  sky  blue,  or  darker, 
if  the  colour  requires  it.  Uniforms  are,  some  of  them,  of  a  natu- 
ral white,  when  they  require  only  soap  and  sulphuring,  they  vary 
from  this  to  a  very  blue  white,  approaching  to  a  faint  sky  colour — 
the  lattfer  are  never  sulphured.  The  blue  mixture  has  to  be  pass- 
ed through  a  bag — some  stout  flannel  is  sewed  into  the  form  of  a 
jelly  bag,  and  the  top  is  secured  round  a  wooden  hoop.  This  bag 
js  first  wetted,  and  then  placed  in  the  furnace,  the  soapy  liquor 
will  pass  through  it,  and  fill  the  inside ;  into  this  part  of  the  liquor, 
a  small  quantity  of  cliemick  is  poured,  and  stirred  in  so  as  to  be 
well  mixed,  the  bag  is  drawn  up  by  the  rim,  and  the  dilated  blue 
permitted  to  pass  through  into  the  furnace — the  whole  is  then  well 
stirred  with  a  rake,  so  as  to  mix  the  blue  completely  with  the 
soapy  liquor — the  cloth  is  now  entered,  and  rapidly  moved  over 
the  reel,  and  kept  well  opened  during  the  whole  time  of  working. 
Have  in  at  the  heat  of  new  milk,  as  before  mentioned,  and  bnng 
the  heat  up  five  or  six  degrees.  In  thirty  or  forty  minutes,  the 
colouring  will  be  finished. 

This  colour  is  not  washed,  but  the  cloth  is  folded  up  carefully 
and  smooth,  and  laid  in  a  clean  cloth,  onascrave,  horizontally; 


for  if  thrown  across  a  djer^'s  horse  to  drain,  the  colour  will  run  to 
the  b'sts.  ^^1JeQ  cloth  has  been  dyed  w^itp  it  is  always  stove 
dried. 

On  some  occasions,  the  whites  that  are  dyed  without  blueing, 
are  hang  up  in  a  sulphur  house  to  black.  A  sulphur  bouse  for 
cloth,  is  a  square  building,  closely  plastered,  to  prevent  the  sul- 
phureous gas  from  escaping.  The  cloth  is  hung  up  by  the  list  on 
wooden  hooks,  and  no  two  folds  are  permitted  to  touch  each  other. 
The  cloth,  vhen  hung  up,  should  be  thoroughly  moistened  with 
the  whitening  liquor,  but  not  so  wet  as  to  run.  When  the  house 
is  filled  with  cloth,  or  the  intended  quantity  is  hung  op,  some  roll 
sulphur  bruised,  is  put  on  four  iron  dishes,  which  are  previously 
covered  two  or  three  inches  thick  with  fine  dry  silecious  sand,  on 
which  the  sulphur  lies.  One  of  these  are  put  in  each  corA.er  of 
the  room,  and  a  small  hole  is  left  at  the  bottom  of  the  building 
near  each  pot,  to  admit  a  supply  of  external  air  for  the  purpose  of 
keeping  the  sulphur  in  a  state  of  combustion.  When  these  are 
set  on  fire,  the  door  is  closed  until  the  following  morning,  when  it 
is  thrown  open,  and  as  soon  as  the  workmen  can  enter  with  safety, 
the  cloth  is  shifted,  the  list  that  hung  down,  being  now  turned  up 
and  hooked  on  the  tenters — more  sulphur  is  now  placed  on  the 
sand  plates,  which  is  ignited  as  before  ;  and  when  the  t  loth  has  un- 
dergone this  second  process,  it  is  finished  sulphuring,  and  will 
have  to  be  tentered  and  dried. 

It  is  DecesBary  to  observe,  that  cloth  intended  for  uniform  white. 
is  finished  shearing  before  it  is  coloured,  and  that  after  dry,  it  need 
only  be  beiiten  in  the  tenters,  with  small  white  willow  rods  to  ex- 
tricate any  soap  that  may  hang  on  the  face  in  a  state  of  dust,  the 
beating  should  be  done  very  lightlj.  Sometimes  a  small  quantity 
of  the  best  whiting  is  used  in  the  soap  lic^uor,  but  tb's  is  seldoxa 
cecessarv. 


227 


ON  COMPOUND  COLOURS. 

HAVING  given  receipts,  and  the  modes  of  working"  for  black 
and  white,  and  for  the  dyers  three  primitive  colours,  blue,  yellow 
and  red,  we  will  proceed  to  the  compound  colours,  and  shall  be- 
g-in with  those  that  are  compounded  of  blue  and  yellow  consti- 
tuting all  that  genera  known  by  the  name  of  green.  I  shaU,  that 
my  directions  may  be  more  clearly  understood,  divide  this  genera 
into  four  distinct  classes  :  the  true  green,  those  colours  which  are 
died  with  blue  and  yellow  alone,  in  which  neither  of  those  colour- 
ing matters  predominate  in  any  considei'able  degree  ,  into  yellow 
green,  in  which  the  yellow  predominates ;  into  blue  greens,  in 
which  the  blue  has  the  ascendency,  and,  finally,  into  those  greens 
into  which  the  red  enters  into  the  composition. 

When  cloth  has  to  be  dyed  green,  it  must  previously  be  well 
pized  with  fullers'  earth. 

Of  true  green. 

The  following  receipt  is  for  a  full  bodied  colour  of  this  kind,  on 
thirty-three  yards  of  seven-quarter  Spanish  felt,"  weighing  about 
forty-six  pounds. 

For  the  boiling,  use 
8  pounds  of  alum. 
1      do.     of  chemick. 
Boil  the  alum  and  chemick  for  half  an  hour,  then  heave  in  the  cloth 
and  boil  it  one  hour,  take  it  out  and  boil  in  the  same  liquor 
30  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
5      do.     of  alum. 
3      do.     of  chemick. 
Boil  the  alum  and  chips  for  one  hour,  then  add  the  chemick,  pour- 
ing it  into  the  boiling  liquor  in  a  small  stream,  not  more  than  the 
size  of  a  wheaten  straw,  to  prevent  its  blowing  out ;  let  the  liquor 
boil  ten  minutes,  fill  the  furnace  with  cold  water  to  the  proper 
height,  stir  the  liquor  well  with  a  rake,  enter  the  cloth  and  rattle 


228 

over  the  reel  as  fast  as  two  men  can  open  it,  for  unless  this  be  rap- 
idly done,  the  colour  will  be  uneven,  as  the  blue  strikes  instantly. 
Bring  the  furnace  on  to  a  boil  and  keep  it  boiling  till  of  the  colour 
wanted. 

In  colouring-  of  green,  when  chemick  is  used,  it  is  essential  to 
know  that  the  goods  take  the  blue  first  and  then  the  yellow,  and 
that  the  long-er  they  are  boiled  the  yellower  the  colour  will  be. — 
Therefore  in  dying  two  or  three  pieces  at  once,  as  many  difierent 
colours  may  be  taken  successively  out  of  the  furnace. 

When  the  desired  colour  is  obtained,  the  cloth  should  be  wound 
upon  the  reel  rapidly,  and  immediately  thrown  off  into  a  back  of 
clear  cold  water.  It  must  then  be  cleaned  by  streaming,  as  direct- 
ed under  the  article  cleansing  of  cloth. 

For  a  very  light  grau  green  for  about  forty-one  pounds  of  cloik, 

Put  into  the  water  before  it  boils  a  quarter  of  a  peck  of  bran  and 
one  pound  of  tin  liquor,  bring  the  liquor  to  a  boil,  and  when  slowly 
boiling  scum  off  the  bran  as  it  rises.  When  the  liquor  has  been 
weU  scummed,  add 

7  pounds  of  alum. 

H    do.     of  chemick. 
Boil  the  alum  half  an  hour,  then  add  the  chemick  and  boil  ten 
minutes  ;  run  up  the  furnace,  stir  well,  heave  in  the  cloth  and  boil 
it  one  hour.     In  the  same  liquor  boil 

10  pounds  of  fustic. 

li    do.     of  chemick. 

2      do.     of  alum. 
BotI  the  fustic  and  alum  as  in  the  last  receipt,  and  add  the  che- 
mick as  there  directed  and  boil  as  usual ;  stir  the  liquor  well,  heave 
in  the  cloth,  boil  till  of  the  desired  colour,  cool  down,  and  heave 
out  in  a  back  of  water.     When  finished,  proceed  as  with  the  last. 


229 

Very  permanent  greens  of  any  colour  may  be  made  on  cloth  by 
bluing  it  in  the  woad  vat  to  the  colour  wanted,  then  making  a 
liquor  with  one-sixth  of  its  weight  of  alum,  and  as  much  fustic  as 
will  make  the  desired  colour. 

For  dying  wool  a  true  green. 

For  a  full  bodied  dark  green  on  two  hundred  and  three  pounds 
of  wool.  To  be  first  dyed  a  middling  blue  in  the  woad  vat,  then 
to  be  finished  in  the  furnace  with 

80  pounds  of  fustic. 
20      do.     of  welds. 

The  fustic  to  be  boiled  by  itself  two  hours ;  the  welds  to  be  en- 
tered and  boiled  twenty  minutes.  The  dye  wares  are  now  to  be 
taken  out,  the  furnace  run  up,  the  liquor  well  stirred,  the  wool  en- 
tered and  well  handled,  as  before  directed,  for  half  an  hour,  the  heat 
to  be  brought  on  and  boiled  two  hours.  The  furnace  must  now  be 
run  up  with  cold  water,  and  four  pounds  of  alum  strewed  over  the 
liquor  by  handfuls  at  a  time,  the  wool  being  well  raked  over  and 
briskly  handled  at  the  time,  and  between  the  throwing  on  of  each 
handful ;  when  the  alum  is  all  in,  put  on  the  fire  and  keep  handling 
until  the  liquor  begins  to  boil,  permitting  the  hquor  to  boil  for  half 
an  hour,  then  open  the  furnace  door  and  let  it  lay  all  night. 

Ic  must  be  noted  that  wool  should  never  be  landed  out  of  a  rery 
hot  liquor,  for  this  makes  it  stringy  and  difficult  to  work  in  the  ma- 
chines. When  a  large  furnace  of  liquor  has  lain  with  the  wool  in 
it  all  night,  it  will  be  about  cool  enough  to  run  off  in  the  morning  ; 
should  any  circumstance  make  it  necessary  to  run  off  immediately 
after  it  has  boiled,  the  liquor  should  be  cooled  down  to  140^^  Fh. 
before  the  wool  is  left  free  of  liquor.  To  perform  the  running  off> 
without  permitting  any  wool  to  go  with  the  liquor,  let  the  work- 
man, before  turning  the  cock,  thrust  the  wool  from  before  the  open- 
ing with  two  or  three  large  sticks ;  when  this  has  been  done  effec- 
tually, put  a  circular  shovel  between  the  sticks,  and  before  thet 

20 


230 

opening  to  the  cock,  by  which  means  the  liquor  will  be  permitted 
to  run  off  freely  without  any  wool  following  it. 

For  a  true  green,  the  wool  to  be  coloured  in  the  vat  as  before. 
The  colouring  materials  prescribed  in  this  receipt  is  for  twenty 
pounds  of  wool. 

4  pounds  of  weld. 
9|    do.     of  rasped  fustic. 
I     do.  of  logwood. 
The  materials  to  boil  one  hour;  the  bags  taken  out ;  tlje  liquor 
run  up  with  cold  water ;  the  wool  had  in,  and  boiled  two  hours, 
then  strew  over  two  pounds  and  a  quarter  of  alum  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  directed  for  the  last ;  boil  again  for  half  an  hour,   and  let 
lay  in  all  night. 

For  a  very  light  true  green — to  he  Jirst  dyed  a  very  light  hlue. 

It  must  be  understood  that  in  all  cases  when  a  furnace  colour  i' 
done  on  a  blue  ground,  and  particularly  when  the  colour  is  light 
the  blue  must  be  washed  very  clean  before  it  is  dyed,  otherwist 
the  colour  will  have  a  very  dull  and  muddy  appearance  when 
finished. 

This  light  colour  has  first  to  be  boiled  in  four  pounds  of  alum  for 
every  twenty-four  pounds  of  wool,  and  let  lay  in  the  liquor  all  night, 
and  then,  without  washing  the  wool,  bring  on  a  fresh  liquor,  in 
which  boil  sixteen  pounds  of  weld,  run  up,  heave  in  the  wool,  boil 
two  hours,  and  let  it  lie  in  all  night. 

This  receipt  makes  a  very  bright  beautiful  green,  being  muc" 
like  that  which  is  seen  on  the  plumage  of  a  peacock. 

There  is  no  dying  drug  that  produces  so  fine  a  yellow  as  weld 
and  it  imparts  a  softne&s  to  the  wool  that  no  other  appears  to  give. 


231 


For  a  true  green  for  two  hundred  pounds  of  wool.     To  be  xcoadei 

as  usual. 

For  the  boilings  use 
80  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
60     do       of  welds. 
Tlje  dye  wares  to  boil  two  hours  in  bags,  as  usual — the  furnace 
run  up  and  well  stirred,  the  wool  heaved  in  and  boiled  two  hours', 
then  cool  down,  and  strew  over 

10  pounds  of  fine  pounded  alum. 
1     do       of        do  green  copperas. 

After  these  are  in,  and  the  wool  well  handled,  bring  the  liquor  to 
a  boil,  and  let  it  lay  all  night. 

Receipts  for  green  in  which  the  blue  predominates. 

There  will  be  no  occasion  to  give  any  receipt  for  making  tliis 
colour  on  cloth,  as  they  may  be  easily  made  by  lessening  the  quan- 
tity of  fustic,  and  increasing  that  of  the  cheraick,  upon  any  of  the 
j.eceipts  for  true  greens. 

To  dye  one  hundred  and  jxfiy  pounds  of  wool,  in  which  the  blue 
slightly  predominates. 

T  o  be  first  dyed  blue  in  the  vat,  such  as  can  be  done  for  ten 
cents  per  pound — tiien  boil  sixty  pounds  of  fustic  chips,  in  bags» 
for  two  hours — take  the  bags  out,  run  up,  heave  in  the  wool,  and 
boil  it  two  hours — then  run  up  again,  and  strew  in  nine  pounds  of 
ground  logwood,  and  one  pound  of  pulverized  blue  vitriol,  boil 
two  hours,  again  cool  down,  and  strew  in  one  pound  of  alum,  and 
one  pound  of  green  copperas,  boil  one  hour,  and  let  lay  all  night. 


Receipt  for  a  bltie  green,  where  the  blue  is  stronger  than  the  lasl^ 
for  two  hundred  and  forty  pounds  <f  wool.  Dye  in  the  blue  val 
f9  a  fifteen  cent  blue. 

For  the  boiling,  use 
OG  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
20     do       of  welds. 
1^  pint  ofchemick. 
1  pound  of  pearl-ash. 
Let  the  fustic  boil  in  ba^s  two  hours,  then  heave  in  the  weld  id 
bags,  and  boil  half  an  hour;  take  out  the  dye  wares  and  put  in  the 
chemick  as  directed  for  cloth — when  this  has  been  boiled,  add  the 
pearl-ash  in  small  quantities  at  a  time,  then  run  up  and  stir  well, 
after  which,  heave  in  the  wool  rapidly  and  handle  very  quick — 
boil  two  hours,  run  up  and  strew  over  eight  pounds  of  argol,  and 
twelve  pounds  of  alum — boil  one  hour,  and  let  it  lay  all  night. 

For  a  very  light  blue  green,  for  sixty  pounds  of  wooL 

14  pounds  of  weld. 
3  tea  cups  full  of  chemick. 

Cause  the  welds  to  boil  half  an  hour,  then  take  out,  and  add  the 
chemick,  as  before  directed — the  liquor  must  now  be  run  up,  the 
wool  heaved  in,  and  handled  quick :  then  boiled  two  hours  and 
cooled  down — when  this  has  been  done,  strew  over  six  pounds  of 
pounded  alum,  and  three  pounds  of  argol — boil  one  hour  and  let  it 
Jay  in  all  nig-l.t. 

In  the  two  last  receipts  for  wool-dyed  .greens,  the  blue  is  made 
with  chemick.  Although  I  cannot  recommend  those  who  are  de- 
sirous of  obtainiJD^  credit  in  the  market,  to  dye  their  greens  in  this 
waj,  yet  as  it  is  a  cheaper  mode  than  when  the  blue  is  made  in  the 
%.at,  it  is  not  unfrcquentlj  so  done. 


233 


Receipt  for  a  very  dark  green,  a  liltle  inclining  to  the  Hue,  for  two 
hundred  and  thirtxj  pounds  of  wooL  previously  dyed  a  fifteen  cent 
blue-  in  the  woad  vat. 

Fo  r  the  boiling,  use 
86  pounds  of  chipp'd  fustic. 
30     do.      of  chipp'd  logwood. 
The  vrares  to  be  boiled  in  bags  two  hours,  the  liquor  run  up, 
vrell  stirred,  and  the  wool  had  in.     Let  it  be  one  hour  coming  to  a 
boil,  and  boil  two  hours — then  cool  down,   and  strew  over  ten 
pounds  of  alum — boil  half  an  hour,  cool  down  again,  and  add  four 
pounds  of  copperas,  and  one  pound  of  pearl-ash,  boil  one  hour,  and 
let  it  lay  in  all  night. 

For  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  pounds  of  wool  for  a  dark  blue 
bottle  green — to  be  first  dyed  in  the  woad  vat  to  a  thirteen 
cent  blue. 

13  pounds  of  umbro  madder. 
130  do.  of  logwood. 
Let  the  wares  be  boiled  two  hours,  the  liquor  cooled  down,  well 
stirred,  and  the  wool  entered — then  the  liquor  is  to  be  boiled  three 
hours,  and  when  it  is  cooled  down,  strew  over  it  four  and  a  half 
pounds  of  alum,  and  thirteen  pounds  of  copperas — boil  half  an  hour, 
cool  down,  and  let  it  lay  all  night. 

For  a  middling  blue  green  for  two  hundred  and  five  pounds  of 
wool — to  be  first  woaded  a  nine  cent  blue, 
21  pounds  of  alum. 
Boil  this  half  an  hour,  run  up,  heave  in  the  wool  and  boil  it  two 
hours — then  heave  out  and  wash.    Prepare  a  fresh  liquor,  an'A 
boil  in  it 

40  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
7    do      of  umbro  madder, 
20* 


Boil  the  Trares  two  hour?,  cool  donrn,  heaFe  in  the  wool  and  boil  il 
ihree  hoars — let  it  lay  all  nights 

For  a  rerj  light  green  in  which  Che  blue  predominates — for  &"- 
•ty-six  pounds  of  wool  first  woaded  to  a  four  cent  blue,  use 
9  pouads  of  fustic. 

Let  the  wood  be  boiled  two  hour?,  tlic  bag  taken  out,  the  Aimace 
run  up,  the  wool  heaved  in,  and  hoiled  three  boars,  and  let  it  lar 
&I1  night. 

Receipts  for  greens  in  xchich  the  yellow  predominate*. 

In  these  will  be  included  bronze  and  oliye  greens.  Bronze 
greens  are  those  colours  which  are  of  a  rich  olive,  having  a  very 
strong  body  of  yellow. 

For  a  ric"h  bronze  for  two  liundred  pounds  of  wool,  that  Iras 
t>een  coloured  a  full  twenty  cent  blue. 

80  pounds  of  chipped  fustic 

50  6o.  of  welds. 
X.et  the  fustic  boil  two  hours,  then  heave  in  the  weld,  and  boil  half 
an  hoar — take  flie  wares  oat  of  the  liquor,  stir,  heave  in  the  wool, 
and  boil  it  two  hours — then  cool  down  and  strew  over  it  ten  pounds 
of  pounded  alum,  and  one  pound  of  dissolved  copperas — let  it  now 
hoil  one  bouT.  and  let  it  lay  all  night- 

For  a  bronze  on  hco  hundred  and  tixty  pound*  of  u>ooL 

This  is  For  a  rich  and  very  fall  colour.  It  has  first  to  -be  dyed  ia 
ye  vat  of  a  light  seven  cent  blue. 

Tor  the  boiUng,  wre. 
130  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
70     do.      of  weld. 
4     do.     of  chipped  l(^wood. 
•L-efOKJ  iDgTcdients  be  "boiled  as  before,  for  two  hours,  fbe  farwrr* 


235 

an  up,  well  stirreJ,  the  wool  heaved  in  and  boiled  two  hours — 
fhen  cool  down,  strew  over  it  twelve  pounds  of  alum  and  two 
pounds  of  arg-ol,  or  cream  of  tartar;  boil  ag-ain  one  hour — let  the 
liquor  be  cooled  down  a  second  time  and  *trew  over  it  nine 
pounds  of  dissolved  copperas,  and  one  of  g-round  log-wood — let  the 
liquor  boil  one  hour,  and  the  wool  lay  all  night. 

For  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds  of  a  lighter  bronze,  and  not  so 

yellow  as  the  last. 

This  has  to  be  Tvoaded  to  a  lig-ht  fourteen  cent  blue. 

For  (he  boiling,  uee 
€5  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
40     do      of  welds. 
The  wares  to  be  boiled  two  hours,  the  bag's  taken  out,  the  liquor 
Kjooled  down,  well  stirred,  the  wool  heaved  in  and  boiled  one  hour 
and  a  half — then  cool  down,   and  strew  over  it  eight  pounds  of 
pounded  alumj  boil  one  hour,  cool  down  again,  and  strew  over  it 
from  half  to  three-quarters  of  a  pound  of  dissolved  coppei-as — boil 
three-quarters  of  an  hour,  and  let  it  lay  all  night.     This  is  called 
-an  emerald  green,  and  is  a  very  beautiful  colour.  v 

For  a  fine  olive  green.     For  two  hundred  pounds  of  wool  woaded 
to  a  nine  cent  blue,  Mse  for. the  boiling, 

190  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
45  do  of  weld. 
Boil  the  fustic  two  hours,  then  the  weld  half  an  hour ;  take  out  the 
d^^e  wares,  run  up  with  water,  stir  well,  heave  in  the  wool  and 
boil  two  hours — then  cool  down  and  strew  over  it  ten  pounds  of 
alum  and  two  pounds  of  dissolved  copperas — boil  one  hour,  and 
*et  it  lay  all  night. 


236 


For  a  dark  bottle  green  of  the  bronze  hue^  for  one  hundred  and  for- 
ty pounds  of  icooly  made  a  full  eleven  cent  blue. 

For  the  boiling,  use 

80  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 

15     do.      of  welds. 
Boil  the  wares  as  before,  cool  down,  stir  well,  heave  in  the  wool 
and   boil  two   hours — then  cool  down,  and   strew  over  it  seven 
pounds  of  pounded  alum,  and  three  pounds  of  madder — boil  one 
hour,  and  let  it  lay  all  night. 

To  dye  bottle  greens  of  different  shades,  take  from 

^  4  to  10  pounds  of  fustic.     )    /.     .i     ,     ,. 
Wares  for  I  3  to  12    do.     of  lo-wood.  J    ^^  the  boiling, 
each  score  \  For  saddening, 

of  wool,     j  1  pound  of  alum.  J 

j  i     do.     of  coj^ras,  more  or  less.  5 

The  wool  to  be  died  to  a  fourteen  cent  blue,  and  proceeded  with  as 
directed  for  other  greens. 

To  dye  red  greens. 

For  all  greens  intended  to  have  a  red  hue,  take  any  of  the 
foregoing  receipts,  leave  out  one-third  of  the  yellow  dyes,  and  add 
from  one  to  three  pounds  of  barwood  or  «amwood.  As  much  mad- 
der would  be  still  better  than  the  woods. 

We  have  now  gone  through  all  that  will  be  necessar}-  for  colour- 
ing of  greens  on  wool  and  woollen  cloth,  having  given  ample  di- 
rections for  each  class  of  this  colour,  and  shall  now  proceed  to  give 
receipts  for  producing  greens  on  cotton  and  silk. 

The  two  folloioing  receipts  are  for  dying  green  on  cotton. 

Cotton  for  this  colour  must  be  well  boiled  in  a  solution  of  pot- 


237 

ash,  then  washed  and  dyed  blue,  to  the  shade  wanted  in  the  cop- 
peras vat.  When  it  comes  from  the  vat,  dry  it,  wash  a  little,  and 
dry  again — then  alum  as  for  red,  with  six  ounces  of  alum  to  the 
pound  of  cotton,  dry  and  wasli  it.  Boil  eight  ounces  of  fustic  for 
each  pound  of  cotton  ;  when  well  boiled,  take  out  the  liquor,  put  it 
in  a  proper  tub,  and  when  you  can  bear  the  hand  in  it,  put  in  the 
cotton  and  turn  it  eight  or  ten  times ;  then  raise  it  out  of  the  liquor 
and  dissolve  one  ounce  of  blue  vitriol  for  each  pound  of  cotton, 
put  it  into  the  fustic  liquor,  turn  the  cotton  in,  and  work  it  round 
eight  or  ten  times — then  turn  it  down,  and  let  it  lay  for  twenty  or 
thirty  minutes — wring  out,  ^y  and  wash,  and  then  it  is  mished. 

Second  receipt  in  which  part  of  the  blue  is  directed  to  be  put  on  with 
logwood,  is  cheaper. 

Boil  the  cotton  well,  was'n  and  give  it  a  light  ground  in  the  cot- 
ton blue  vat — boil  one  pound  of  fustic  and  four  ounces  of  logwood 
to  each  pound  of  cotton,  after  boiling  well,  take  off  the  clear 
liquor,  and  when  you  can  bear  the  hand  in  it,  turn  in  the  cotton  se- 
veral times ;  then  turn  it  down  into  the  liquor  for  half  an  hour — raise 
out  on  a  pin  and  let  it  drain.  Dissolve  for  each  pound  of  cotton 
half  an  ounce  of  verdigris,  or  of  blue  vitriol,  pour  it  into  the 
liquor,  stir  well  and  turn  in  the  cotton  as  before,  wring  out  and  dry 
in  the  shade.  By  adding  or  diminishing  the  logwood  and  fustic, 
any  shade  of  green  may  be  obtained. 

To  colour  cotton  permanent  olive. 

It  is  not  requisite  that  the  cotton  be  bleached  for  this  colour, 
but  it  must  be  well  cleansed.  To  each  pound  of  cotton,  take 
three-quarts  of  water,  one  ounce  of  argol,  one  and  a  half  ounce 
of  copperas,  half  an  ounce  of  sugar  of  lead,  and  two  ounces  of 
blue  \Utriol,  dissolve  these  together  in  the  warm  water ;  when  dis- 
•solved,  add  one  ounce  of  pounded  whiting  a  little  at  a  time ;  take 
<]{  the  clean  liquor,  and  turn  in  the  cotton,  work  well,  wring  out 
:and  turn  in  again,  and  let  it  lay  all  night — ^in  the  morniog  wring' 


238 

out,  dry  and  wash.  Boil  for  each  pound  of  cotton  one  pound  of 
fustic,  turn  in  the  cotton,  wring  out,  wash,  and  dry.  It  is  now 
finished,  but  if  wanted  darker,  a  little  sumac  will  deepen  the  co- 
lour. It  may  be  made  lighter  or  darker,  by  adding-  or  diminishing 
the  copperas.  If  tlie  drugs  be  dissolved  in  logwood  water,  tbe 
olire  will  be  greenish. 

To  colour  cotton  a  common  oUve. 

For  this  colour,  the  cotton  is  began  and  worked  exactly  the 
=ame  as  for  chocolate  ;  but  instead  of  brazilletto,  you  must  give  it 
fustic  liquor,  in  which  well  work  it.  For  a  greenish  olive,  dis- 
solve for  each  pound  of  cotton,  one  ounce  of  alum ;  for  a  yellow 
olive,  half  an  ounce  of  blue  vitriol,  if  for  a  very  green  olive,  add 
a  little  logwood  liquor,  and  when  it  has  been  well  worked,  wring 
out  on  a  pin,  and  give  for  each  pound,  half  an  ounce  of  blue  vitriol, 
let  it  lay  in  this  for  half  an  hour,  turning  it  now  and  then — wring 
out  and  dry. 

To  colour  silk  green. 

To  colour  silk  a  permanent  green,  it  is  previously  yellowed  with 
weld  and  alum,  and  made  to  ihe  patLern  wanted,  in  a  blue  rat; 
either  the  woad  or  ash  vat  will  ansvrer. 

I^or  a  Sdxon  g-recn. 

Wash  out  of  soap  suds  and  stick  up.  Boil  ground  green  ebony 
in  a  copper  vessel,  strain  off  into  a  tub  through  a  sieve,  add  che- 
mick  to  the  colour  wanted.  To  be  used  with  very  little  beat,  wash 
in  two  cold  waters,  wring  out,  hang  up  and  dry. 

To  colour  silk  a  dark  olive. 

Boil  with  coloured  soap,  and  wash  well  out — allum  and  well 
wash — put  mto  clear  warm  water  half  a  ladle  of  strong  fustic  li- 


239  ' 

quor,  and  the  same  quantity  of  strong-  logwood  liquor,  give  the  silk 
a  few  turns  in  this,  and  it  will  be  a  good  olive.  If  wanted  greener, 
use  a  little  blue  vitriol,  wring  out  and  lather.  When'the  olive  is 
wanted  to  be  of  a  brown  hue,  it  will  do  without  a  lather. 

Having  given  an  assortment  of  receipts  for  all  those  colours 
that  is  the  product  of  blue  and  yellow,  we  shall  now  proceed  to 
that  class  of  colours  that  is  the  product  of  yellow  and  red,  which 
will  include  scarlets,  buffs,  oranges,  auroras,  wine  colours,  and  a 
certain  class  of  browns,  &c.  &c.,  for  which  receipts  will  be  given 
in  the  order  they  are  here  mentioned. 

Of  scarlet, 

I  have  already  given  directions  for  preparing  the  tin  liquor ;  and 
those  who  are  desirous  of  having  their  colours  uniformly  of  the 
same  brilliant  hue,  must  be  particular  in  following  one  uniform 
mode  of  preparing  their  tin  liquor,  as  the  least  variation  in  this 
particular,  will  make  a  sensible  difference  in  the  colour. 

I  shall  give  two  receipts  for  producing  scarlets  from  my  father's 
practice,  one  as  it  was  done  thirty  years  since,  and  the  other  of 
modem  date.  A  third  will  be  given,  called  Nash's  scarlet.  The 
receipts  will  be  given  for  a  certain  number  of  yards  of  broadcloth, 
each  yard  weighing  about  one  pound,  six  or  seven  ounces.  I  have 
already  described  the  kind  of  cochhaeal  that  must  be  used  to  pro- 
duce the  best  colours,  and  that  when  sylvestre  is  used,  those  sam- 
ples having  the  largest  grains,  with  the  least  white  or  grey 
down  on  them,  and  which  are  the  least  adulterated,  should  be 
preferred. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  give  directions  for  the  workmanship,  be- 
fore giving  receipts  for  dying. 

In  dying  of  scarlet,  the  furnace,  if  of  copper  or  bras?,  must  be 
kept  very  bright  and  clean.     If  of  block-tin,  the  liquor  may  be 


240 

fermhxed  to  remain  in  the  famace  from  one  day  to  another ;  but 
when  of  copper  or  brass,  it  mast  be  emptied  eFery  night,  scoured 
qnite  clean,  and  fresh  liquor  made  the  succeeding-  day.  This  di- 
rection has  to  be  obserred  for  all  colours  where  soluticKis  of  tin  are 
used  as  well  as  for  every  other  delicate  colour.  ! 

A  willow  basket,  such  as  I  hare  before  described,  is  used  in  all 
these  colours.     It  is  aUo  necessary  to  cover  the  curb  with  clean 
white  canvass,  to  prevent  the  goods  dyed  from  receiving  any  stain 
from  it.  The  canvass  should  be  secured  to  the  top  o£  the  basket,  and 
hang  over  the  outside  of  the  curb,  against  the  furnace,  for  six  or 
nine  inches.     The  reel  should  be  made  of  clear  white  pine,  free 
from   knots,  the  broading  and  stopping  sticks  should  be  of  dry 
wUte  ash,  without  bark.     The  cloth,  after  having  run  its  proper 
time  in  the  furnace,  should  be  rapidly  wound  up  on  the  reel,  and 
immediately  thrown  off  into  a   back  of  c^ld  spring  water.     The 
back  should  be  of  an  oval  form,  about  three  feet  over  in  the  cen- 
tre, as  long  as  the  cloth  is  wide,  and  be  made  of  some  clean  white 
wood  that  will  not  impart  any  stain  to  the  cloth.     The  cloth  is 
moved  rapidly  over  the  reel  all  the  time  it  is  in  the  furnace,  and 
mast  be  kept  well  opened  by  the   broads-men.     The  liquor  is 
brought  to  boil  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  cloth  is  entered,  and 
kept  boiling  rapidly  until  the  colour  is  finished.    When  taken  out, 
it  is  immediately  streamed,  as  before  directed,  unt<l  quite  clean, 
and  tentered  as  soon  after  as  possible. 

Before  a  new  made  liquor  begins  to  boil,  and  prior  to  any  thing 
being  added  to  it,  throw  into  the  furnace  one  pint  of  tin  liquor,  and 
two  or  three  quarts  of  bran,  bring  the  liquor  to  boil,  which  will 
cause  the  bran  to  rise  to  the  top,  let  this  be  scununed  clean  off 
with  a  fine  sieve,  and  the  hqoor  will  be  ready  fer  use. 

The  cream  of  tartar  ajid  other  drugs  used  for  this  colour,  shoukl 
be  ground  or  pounded  very  fine. 


241 


For  dying  two  pieces  of  seven  quarter  Spanish  felt,  measuring  thir- 
ty-seven yards  each,  and  weighing  about  one  hundred  and  seven- 
teen pounds. 

Use  for  the  boiling, 

3  pounds  of  clean  white  alum. 

2i     do,     of  turmeric. 

2i     do.     of  cream  of  tartar. 

6  pints  of  tin  liquor. 

1^  pounds  of  cochineal. 
The  alum  and  tartar  to  be  first  boiled  about  five  minutes,  then  the 
solution  of  tin  to  be  added  and  boiled  two  minutes,  then  add  the 
turmeric  and  cochineal,  and  boil  ten  minutes.  Cool  the  liquor  down, 
stir  well,  and  enter  the  cloth  i^pidly,  put  on  the  fire,  and  bring  the 
liquor  to  boil  as  soon  .is  possible — keep  it  rapidly  boiling  during 
one  hour,  cool  the  liquor  down,  reel  the  cloth  up  the  wirch,  and 
heave  it  out  in  the  back,  as  before  mentioned — then  let  the  cloth 
he  well  streamed,  and  while  that  is  doing,  add  to  the  boiling  liquor. 

1^  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar. 

4|     do.       of  cochineal. 

6  pints  of  tin  liquor. 
Boil  the  cream  of  tartar  and  tin  liquor  four  or  five  minutes,  put  in 
the  cochineal  and  boil  five  mintites,  cool  down,  stir  well,  and  enter 
the  cloth,  taking  care  to  keep  it  in  rapid  motion,  and  well  opened, 
all  the  time  of  going;  boi'  for  thirty  or  forty  minutes,  cool  down 
and  heave  out  in  the  back,  as  before.  The  girtweb  has  now  to  be 
taken  off  the  lists,  the  cloth  streamed  until  Uioroughly  cleaned,  and 
then  tentered  as  soon  after  as  possible. 

Scarlets  dyed,  according  to  the  last  receipt,  were  ricli  and  full 
bodied,  but  were  not  of  that  fine  flame  colour  which  is  7equired  by 
tlv  fashion  of  the  present  day.  When  alum  is  used  with  cochineal, 
it  increases  the  hody  of  the  colour,  and  gives  it  a  blue  tint  an- 
preaching  towards  a  pink  colour. 

21 


242 


For  dying  sevcniy-sijc  yards  of  seven-quarter  Spanish  Jelt,  a  Jim 
Jlame  coloured  scarlet,  such  as  is  now  in  demand,  weighing  one 
hundred  and  twenty  pounds. 

Use  for  the  boiling, 
3  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar. 
2     do.      of  turmeric. . 
6  pints  of  tin  liquor. 

2  pounds  of  cochineal. 

Put  these  ingredients  into  the  liquor,  successively,  as  directed  for 
the  last,  and  when  the  last  is  in,  boil  ten  minutes,  cool  down,  stir 
well  and  heave  in  the  cloth  rapidly ;  boil  one  hour,  cool  down  and 
heave  out,  as  before  directed.  Let  the  cloth  be  well  streamed, 
and  whilst  that  is  doing,  bring  the  liquor  on  to  a  boil,  and  add  for 
the  finishing 

3  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar. 
2     do.      of  turmeric. 

6  pints  of  tin  liquor. 

5  or  6  pounds  of  cochineal. 
Put  the  ingredients  in  as  directed  for  the  boiling,  cool  down,  stir 
Nvell,  heave  in  the  cloth  and  boil  rapidly,  from  thirty  minutes  to 
one  hour,  according  to  the  colour  wanted — heave  out  in  a  back  of 
water,  and  proceed  as  before. 

A  manufacturer  of  the  name  of  Nash,  became  celebrated  for 
dying  of  scarlet,  and  the  colour  has  taken  its  name  from  him,  be- 
ing called  Nash's  scarlet.  The  principal  diiference,  however,  be- 
tween his  colour  and  others,  is,  that  the  cloth  dyed  by  him  was 
well  grounded,  the  colour  having  completely  penetrated  through 
the  thread  of  the  cloth ;  and  this  advantage  was  more  the  result  of 
a  peculiar  mode  of  making  the  goods,  thr^n  of  any  superiority  in 
the  dying.  The  warp,  as  I  have  been  informed,  was  spun  with  as 
little  twist  as  would  answer  for  weaving,  and  the  filling  as  loose  as 
it  could  be  spun,  so  as  to  follow  the  shuttle.  A  gentleman,  who 
was  a  late  partner  of  Nash's  successor,  is  now  in  Virginia, 


243 


For  dying  a  J^ash^s  scarlet  on  two  pieces  of  thirty-two  yards,  each 
weighing  ninety-six  pounds. 

This  colour  has  two  boilings  before  the  finishing  operation,  and 
mast  be  considered  as  in  imitation  of  Nash's  dying. 

For  the  first  boiling,  use 
li  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar. 

4  pints  of  tin  liquor. 

li  pounds  of  fine  argol. 
1  pound  of  turmeric. 

1  do.      of  cochineal. 

Boil  the  ingredients  as  before,  cool  down,  heave  in  the  cloth  and 
boil  one  hour.  It  has  to  be  boiled  a  second  time  without  stream- 
ing, only  previously  cooling  the  cloth  by  throwing  it  backward 
and  forward. 

For  the  second  boilings  use 

8  ounces  of  turmeric. 

4  pints  of  tin  liquor. 

3  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar. 

1  pound  of  cochineal. 
Proceed  as  before,  boil  two  hours,  heave  out  and  stream  well — 
then  use  for  finishing, 

5  pounds  of  cochineal. 

6  pints  of  tin  liquor. 

2  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar. 

Heave  in  the  cloth,  as  before,  and  boil  till  done,  which  will  be  iu 
thirty  or  forty  minutes.  This  is  a  strong  rich  colour,  and  being- 
boiled  two  hours  in  the  second  process,  and  the  yarn  having  been 
spun  loose,  is  so  much  better  grounded  than  scarlets  commonly 
are,  as  to  give  the  colour  an  appearance  of  great  intensity. 

It  is  usual  in  all  establishments  where  scarlet  dying  is  carried  on 
upon  a  large  scale,  to  colour  twenty  or  lliirty  pieces  in  one  day. 


244 

auJ  by  this  meaos,  much  expense  is  saved.  If  a  furnace  is  broughi 
on  early  in  the  morning,  some  pieces  are  boiled  in  the  first  opera- 
tion, this  prepares  the  liquor  for  fioishing- ;  three  or  four  lots  that 
were  boiled  a  day  or  two  before,  are  then  finished  in  the  same  li- 
quor, and  aftenvards  three  or  four  lots  of  white  pieces  are  boiled. 
The  first  lot  boiled  after  finishing,  needs  no  cochineal,  the  others 
follow  it  until  the  whole  of  this  raluable  drug  is  taken  out  of  the 
finishing  liquor — tin  liquor,  cream  of  tartar,  and  turmeric,  are 
added  in  the  quantity  prescribed ;  but  no  cochineal,  excepting  for 
the  second  boiling — the  third  and  fourth  lots  are  called  runs,  and 
are  boiled  a  second  time.  Sometimes  a  whole  day  is  employed  in 
boiling,  when  the  practice  prescribed,  in  the  receipts  given  for 
boiling  is  followed,  excepting  for  the  two  last,  in  which  the  cochi- 
neal is  left  out. 

To  colour  scarlet  with  the  colouring  matter  of  shell  lac,  knotcn  by 
the  name  of  lac  lake. 

I  have  two  receipts  for  this  colour,  one  that  was  obtained  rom 
the  specification  of  the  patentee,  and  the  second  from  a  relation 
who  used  it  in  dying  of  scarlet  v.orsted  for  manufacturing  of  worst- 
ed webbing. 

In  the  first  tLs  lac  spirits  has  to  be  prepared  by  dissolving  four 
ounces  of  tin  in  a  pint  of  spirits  of  salt,  which  must  be  performed 
by  digesting  the  mixture  in  a  sand  heat.  The  following  compost 
has  ihen  to  be  made :  to  ten  pounds  of  lac  spirits,  put  six  pounds 
eight  ounces  of  lac  lake  powdered  fine,  six  pounds  eight  ounces  of 
ground  cream  of  tartar,  four  ounces  of  pounded  turmeric,  eight 
ounces  of  cochineal,  one  pound  of  saflower,  and  four  ounces  of 
diluted  oil  of  vitriol. 

One  pound  of  said  mixture  to  be  used  to  produce  a  scarlet  on 
two  pounds  of  woollen  yarn  or  cloth. 

la  the  second  they  take  three  and  a  half  pounds  of  lac  spirits,  i* 


245 

which  is  put  two  and  a  half  pounds  of  pounded  lake,  and  three 
pounds  of  cream  of  tartar,  which  is  well  mixed  at  least  twenty-four 
hours  before  using  it.  This  quantity  is  employed  to  colour  twen- 
ty pounds  of  worsted. 

As  cotton  is  never  dyed  scarlet,  we  shall  proceed  to  silk. 

Boil  twenty  pounds  of  silk  in  a  liquor  with  four  pounds  of  black 
soap  for  three  hours.  Take  any  quantity  of  annatto,  ground  fine, 
to  each  pound  of  annatto,  add  four  ounces  of  pearl-ash,  these  are 
to  be  ground  together  in  a  copper  pan,  with  copper  balls  similar 
to  indigo.  Bring  your  water  to  a  boil,  take  of  the  annatto  liquor 
one  or  two  bowls,  which  add  to  the  boiling  water,  put  your  silk  in 
at  a  spring  heat,  and  it  will  soon  become  a  good  orange.  Take 
the  silk  out  of  the  furnace,  hang  it  up  over  it,  so  tliat  the  liquor 
which  drains  off  may  return  into  the  furnace.  When  drained, 
wash  the  silk  in  four  warm  waters  and  hang  up  six  knots  on  each 
stick.  Take  of  tin  liquor  one  pint,  add  it  to  water  of  a  good  heat, 
and  this  will  be  suflScient  for  ten  pounds  ef  silk,  give  a  few  turns, 
wash  out  and  stick  up.  Then  take  one  and  a  half  pounds  of  well 
ground  cochineal,  put  it  into  a  bell  tub,  and  fill  it  up  with  boiling 
water  ;  give  the  silk  a  few  turns  in  this,  and  it  will  come  out  a  fine 
scarlet,  which,  in  En^-land,  is  usually  charged  two  dollars  per 
pound. 

To  dye  a  mock  scarlet  on  nlk. 

Orange  the  same  as  for  real  scarlet,  wash  and  stick  up  as  before. 
Add  some  strong  alum  liquor  to  boiling  water,  turn  the  orange  in 
this  liquor  for  three  hours,  wash  in  two  cold  waters  and  stick  up. 
Take  of  a  liquor  made  from  Brazil  wood,  previously  boiled,  two 
pails,  soak  sumac  in  a  tub  and  strain  off  a  ladle  full.  Tlic^e  two 
will  finish  off  the  orange  a  good  mock  scarlet.  When  dark  enough 
wring  out  and  dry. 

21* 


246 


RECEIPTS  FOR  BUFF. 

THE  jellow  for  dnog-  of  buff  is  obtained  from  fustic.  The  be?^t 
slicks  used  are  such  as  are  new  and  sound,  being  selected  for  thia 
purpose.  The  outside  of  the  log's  are  split  off,  and  the  heart  of  the 
wood  is  ground  very  fine  and  sold  to  the  dyers  at  double  the  usual 
price,  for  dying  of  buff  and  other  fine  colours.  A  good  buff  dyer 
is  more  rare  tlian  a  good  scarlet  dyer,  and  goods  for  this  colour  are 
sent  from  London  and  other  parts  of  England,  a  distance  of  more 
tl<aB  <Mie  hundred  miles,  to  a  dyer  in  the  west  of  England,  who  is 
celebrated  for  dj  ing  this  colour.  It  would  be  supposed  that  a  ^ 
coionr  requiring  only  fustic,  yellow,  and  a  little  best  madder,  could 
be  well  done  any  where,  did  not  experience  prove  it  to  be  errone- 
ous. 

The  cloth  intended  for  bu#  must  be  examined,  spotted  and  clean- 
ed the  same  as  for  scarlet,  and  that  which  is  not  perfectly  free  from 
irpots  and  stains  cannot  be  used  for  this  colour,  as  the  least  defect 
will  be  seen  when  finished.  Cloth  for  buff  must  be  finished  shear- 
i-pg  before  it  is  dyed. 

The  same  precautions  to  keep  the  goods  from  coming  in  contact 
V  ith  die  metal  and  curb  of  the  furnace,  are  used  in  this  colour  as 
jii  the  fcarlet  ^ye.  Buff  is  more  liable  than  any  other  colour  to 
becoiTie  s7>ottcd  TiLen  it  comes  in  contact  with  any  material  that 
fUB  iropart  a  stain  to  it,  the  utmost  caution,  therefore,  should  be 


For  Itrenly-seren  pounds  of  fine  cloth,  use 
]  pDund  of  argol. 

1  do.     of  alum. 

2  do-     of  tin  liquor. 

I     do.     of  ground  fustic. 
1  ounce  of  best  crop  madder. 


247 

Boil  the  ingredients  as  directed  for  scarlet,  heave  in  the  goods, 
keep  them  rapidly  in  motion,  and  boil  till  of  the  desired  colour.  If 
this  colour  should  not  be  strong  enough,  use  more  fustic  and  mad- 
der ;  if  too  red,  use  more  fustic  and  less  madder ;  if  not  red  enough, 
use  more  madder  and  less  fustic.  By  these  means  any  body  or 
shade  may  be  obtained. 

I  have  never  known  wool  to  be  dyed  buff  and  made  into  cloth 
for  one  uniform  colour,  but  as  it  is  often  made  for  mixtures  and  for 
striped  goods,  such  as  vest  patterns,  &c.  I  shall  add  a  receipt  to 
produce  it. 

For  a  huff  on  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of -wool. 

Take  fourteen  pounds  of  weld,  boil  it  half  an  hour,  take  out  the 
welds,  stir  well  and  heave  in  the  wool — boil  it  two  hours  and  land — 
add  to  the  liquor  one  pound  of  alum,  cool  dowa,  heave  in  the  wool, 
boil  it  one  hour,  land  and  wash. 

This  will  be  a  pale  yellow  buff,  the  shade  of  which  may  be 
changed  by  using  a  small  quantity  of  madder. 

Buffs  may  be  coloured  on  wool  with  fustic  and  madder,  as  it  is 
done  on  cloth,  leaving  out  the  greater  part  of  the  tin  liquor,  which, 
when  applied  strong,  makes  the  wool  harsh  and  difficult  to  spin- 

For  a  huff  colour  on  cotton. 

Cotton  for  buff  should  be  bleached.  For  each  pound  of  cotton 
take  one  quart  of  iron  liquor,  (acetite  of  iron,)  and  four  of  water — 
put  ii  into  a  copper  or  brass  vessel,  add  to  the  iron  liquor  six  ounces 
of  copperas,  and  one  ounce  of  sugar  of  lead  ;  when  you  can  bear 
the  hand  in  the  liquor,  turn  in  the  cotton,  work  it  well,  squeeze 
out,  and  turn  it  in  ^gain,  then  let  it  lay  all  night,  taking  care  that 
the  cotton  be  complete! \'  covered  with  the  liquor.  In  the  morning 
wring  it  out,  and  dry  quick,  spreading  it  well  on  the  drying  poles. 


248 

Take  fresh  made  lime-water,  turn  io  the  cotton  as  quick  as  possi- 
ble, and  wet  it  completely.  When  raised  to  the  colour  wanted, 
wrii^  out,  wash,  and  it  is  finished.  If  the  colour  should  not  be 
full  enoo^h,  put  in  more  inm  liquor  and  copperas,  and  less  water. 
If  it  be  too  stitmg',  put  in  less  of  those  ingredients,  and  more  water. 
by  which  means  a  great  variety  of  shades  may  be  obtained. 

For  a  aaiaum  colour  on  cotton. 

Tint  ootloo  mast  be  white — prepare  as  usual.  Boil  for  each 
poond  of  cotton,  one  ounce  of  cream  of  tartar,  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes,  add  to  it  water  enough  to  tnrn  in  the  cotton,  work  it  for 
half  an  boor,  and  wring  out.  Then  turn  it  into  a  liquor  prepared 
the  same  as  for  orange,  only  about  half  the  strength,  work  quick 
and  even,  wfa^i  well  worked,  wring  out  evenly,  and  turn  it  into 
the  cream  of  tartar  liquor  again,  work  quick  until  it  receives  a 
nice  salmon  colour — wring  out  and  dry  in  a  warm  room. 

For  a  brimstone^  or  ttravB  colour^  on  cotton. 

Tlje  cotton  must  be  white.  To  each  pound,  dissolve  one  ounce 
of  alum,  turn  in  several  times,  and  then  turn  down  for  haJf  an  hour, 
wring  out  gently  and  even.  It  must  now  have  a  clear  and  slender 
fustic  fiqnor,  tnm  it  over  quick  at  first,  and  turn  it  into  the  alum 
liquor  again  ten  or  twelve  times,  wring  out  evenly,  dry  in  a  stove 
in  the  winter,  and  in  the  shade  in  the  summer. 

For  a  gtroue  colour,  (m  silk. 

Boil  tiii  white,  and  wash,  wring  out  and  stick  up.  Prepare  a 
5tnM^  ebonj  liquor  by  well  boiling,  take  a  ladle  of  this  liquor, 
which  will  dye  about  ten  pounds,  give  it  five  or  six  turns  in  this 
'^hen  diluted  with  water,  and  if  the  ebony  does  not  work  green 
enough,  put  into  the  liquor  a  very  small  quantity  of  chemick.  and 
finish  by  stoving  with  sulphur. 


249 


Receipts  for  orange  and  aurora* 

AN'hen  woollen  yarn  and  cloth  are  dyed  orange  or  aurora,  they 
are  usually  boiled  in  a  spent  liquor,  after  scarlet  or  buff. 

For  one  hundred  pounds  of  cloth  for  a  fine  orange.  Boil  in  an 
©Id  buff  liquor 

12  pounds  of  young  fustic  chips. 
4     do.     of  best  raadder. 
6     do.     of  cream  of  tartar. 
2  pints  of  tin  liquor. 

2  ounces  of  cochineal. 

The  chips  to  be  well  boiled  before  the  other  ingredients  are  added ; 
after  boiling  the  other  wares  for  a  few  minutes,  cool  the  liquor 
down,  stir  well,  heave  in  the  cloth,  and  boil  till  up  to  the  pattern. 

For  an  orange  on  sixty  pounds  of  fine  cloth,  in  a  spent  scarlet 

liquor. 

8  pounds  of  young  fustic  chips. 
4     do.      of  cream  of  tartar. 

3  do.      of  best  madder. 
^  ounce  of  cochineal. 

1  pint  of  tin  liquor. 
JBoil  the  chips,  and  proceed  as  before. 

Auroras  are  dyed  the  same  as  oranges,  excepting  with  less  mad- 
der and  an  additional  quantity  of  cochineal.  Some  auroras  ap- 
proach very  nearly  to  the  scarlet  colour,  having  a  greater  body 
of  yellow. 

Oranges  and  auroras,  when  done  in  a  liquor  prepared  on  pur- 
pose, require  more  cream  of  tartar,  tin  liquor,  and  cochineal,  thaa 
is  prescribed  in  the  foregoing  receipt. 


250 


For  a  common  orange,  on/our  pieces  ofjiannel. 

For  the  boiling,  use 

1  pint  of  tin  liquor. 

2  pounds  of  argol. 

Give  a  body  with  young  fustic,  and  redden  to  pattern  with  madder. 

"Wool  is  seldom  dyed  of  an  orange  colour,  but  as  it  may  be  want- 
ed sometimes  for  mixtures,  I  will  give  the  only  receipt  my  collec- 
tion affords. 

For  an  orange  on  nineteen  pounds  of  wool. 

Take  three  pounds  of  alum,  boil  it  one  hour,  cool  down,  stir, 
heave  in  the  wool,  boil  two  hours,  and  let  it  lay  all  night.  In  the 
morning  wash  it,  and  finish  in  a  fresh  liquor,  with  ten  pounds  of 
weld,  and  three  pounds  of  madder,  boil  seven  or  ten  minutes, 
and   land. 

For  an  orange  on  cotton. 

The  cotton  for  this  colour,  should  be  white.  To  each  pound  of 
cotton,  take  two  ounces  of  annatto,  grind  with  water  in  a  brass 
kettle,  as  indigo  is  ground,  wash  it  out  into  a  ketile,  or  pan,  and 
add  an  equal  quantity  of  pearl-ash — boil  for  half  an  hour,  turn  in 
the  cotton,  wring  out,  and  dry  in  a  stove,  or  in  the  shade — the  more 
of  dye  is  used,  the  richer  and  finer  will  be  tiie  colour.  The  liquor 
should  not  be  thrown  away  after  the  working,  but  used  with  ano- 
ther quantity,  by  adding  more  of  the  material  to  the  old  hquor  af- 
ter boiling,  which  will  be  a  saving  of  one-third. 


TO  DYE  CINNAMON  COLOURS. 

For  fifty  pounds  of  fine  cloth  for  a  bright  cinnamon,  use 


251 

7i  pounds  of  alum, 

li     do.      of  arpol. 

9       do.      of  redwood. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  cool  down,  stir,  have  in  the  cloth  and 
boil  one  hour. 

For  a  darker  cinnamon  on  the  same  weight  of  cloth,  use 

7  pounds  of  alum. 
2  do.  of  arg-ol. 
6     do.      of  fustic. 

10     do.      of  barwood. 

8  do.      of  redwood. 

13oil  the  wares  two  hours,  have  in  the  cloth,  and  boil  as  before. 

The  hue  and  body  of  cinnamon  may  be  varied  by  using  more  or 
less  of  fustic,  and  of  the  other  dye  woads. 

Cloth  for  cinnamon  is  oftentimes  prepared  with  ombre  madder^ 
alum,  and  argol,  and  then  finished  with  fustic,  redwood  and  bar- 
wood  in  another  liquor. 

To  dye  wool,  cinnamon  colours. 

For  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds  of  wool,  use 
50  pounds  of  fustic. 
60     do.      of  Sanders. 
6     do.      of  madder. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  cool  down,  have  in  the  wool,  boil  it  iwQ 
hours,  cool  down  and  strew  ot^er  four  and  a  half  pound  of  ground 
cream  of  tartar,  and  four  pounds  and  a  half  of  alum — boil  one 
hour  and  let  lay  all  night. 

For  a  crimson  of  a  fuller  colour,  and  more  on  the  red  on  one 
hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  wool,  use 
24  pounds  of  fustic. 
42     do.      of  Sanders- 


252 

Boil  the  dye  wares  and  the  wool  as  for  the  last,  then  strew  over 
fifteen  pounds  of  alum,  boil  one  hour,  and  let  it  lay  io  all  night — 
wash  the  wool  the  morning  following,  and  finish  in  a  clear  liquor, 
with  thirty  pounds  of  ombre  madder.     This  is  a  very  rich  colour. 

The  two  following  receipts  are  for  two  lots  of  very  bright  cin- 
Bamon,  done  in  the  same  liquor. 

For  ninety -three  pounds  of  wool,  use 
45  pounds  of  barwood. 

27  do.     of  fustic. 
5     do.     of  alum. 

Boil  the  wares  two  houis,  and  the  wool  twenty  minutes,  land  it, 
and  then  add  to  the  same  liquor  for  a  second  lot  of  wool  of  eighty 
pounds, 

28  pounds  of  barwood. 
7     do.       of  fustic. 

Boil  the  wares  and  wool  as  before,  cool  down,  and  strew  over  six 
pounds  of  alum,  boil  half  an  hour,  and  let  lay  in  all  night. 

Cinnamon  on  cotton  is  dyed  by  first  colouring  it  yellow,  and 
then  red,  as  given  in  the  receipts  for  those  colours.  If  the  colour 
should  not  prove  bright  enough,  work  it  in  soap  suds,  wring  out, 
dry,  and  it  is  finished. 


TO  DYE  FAWN  COLOURS. 

For  sixty  pounds  of  cloth,  use 

4  pounds  of  alum. 

2     do.      of  cream  of  tartar. 

4  ounces  of  logwood. 

1  pound  of  peach  wood  (nicaragua.) 

1     do.     of  fustic. 
Boil  the  ingredients  two  hours,  and  the  cloth  two,  have  out  ani 
sadden  to  pattern  with  copperas. 


253 


For  a  fawn  on  ninety'two  pounds  of  wool, 

1  h  pounds  of  argol. 

3     do.      of  redwood. 

1     do.      of  fustic. 

\     do.      of  Brazil  wood. 

i     do.      of  logwood. 
Boil  the  ingredients  two  hours,  and  the  wool  two,  cool  down  the 
liquor,  and  sadden  with  one  pound  of  alum  and  two  of  copperas — 
boil  half  an  hour,  and  if  dark  enough,  land,  if  not,  let  it  lay  in 
all  night. 

For  a  fawn  on  sixty  pounds  of  wool  not  quite  so  red  as  the  last. 

1  pound  of  weld. 

i  do.  of  ground  fustic. 

7  do.  of  uinbro  madder, 

2  do.  of  best  argol,  or  cream  of  tartar, 
i  do.  of  tin  liquor. 

\     do.      of  alum. 
Boil  the  ingredients  one  hour,  and  the  wool  one  hour ;  cool  down 
and  strew  over  two  ounces  of  copperas,  and  one  ounce  of  pearl- 
ash,  boil  half  an  hour,  pump  up  and  let  lay  in  all  night. 

For  a  fawn  for  two  hundred  pounds  of  woolj  still  less  on  the  red  hue, 

6  pounds  of  weld. 

i      do.     of  fustic. 

6  ounces  of  logwood. 

5  pounds  of  best  madder. 

ih    do.     of  argol. 
Boil  the  ingredients  one  hour,  cool  down,  have  in  the  wool,  and 
let  it  be  two  hours  in  coming-  up  to  a  boil,  then  boil  two  hours  and 
cool  down,  strew  over  three-quarters  of  a  pound  of  alum,  boil  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  cool  down  again  and  strew  on  one  pound  of  con- 

22 


254 

peras  and  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  pearl-ash  ;  boil  half  a  hour,  cool 
dow^D,  run  oS  the  liquor  and  i^ash. 

To  dye  sUk  a  faxcn  colour. 

Prepare  the  same  as  for  drab,  stick  op  three  on  each  stick,  strike 
a  lather  with  hot  suds,  put  into  it  a  little  annatto,  which  will  make 
a  buff,  wash  out  in  two  warm  waters  and  stick  up ;  take  a  warm 
liquor,  put  into  it  two  pails  of  spent  archil  liquor,  half  a  ladle  of 
fustic  liquor  and  a  ladle  of  argol  liquor,  stir  well,  take  a  piece  of 
the  buff  silk  and  dip  in.  if  not  dark  enough  add  a  little  more  of  each 
material.  The  argol  raises  the  archil,  some  use  vitriol.  A  ladle 
holds  from  four  to  fire  quarts. 

To  dye  bj'owns  on  itoollens^  suck  colours  as  have  no  blue  in  their 
composition^  being  compounded  of  red  and  yelloxc. 

For  one  piece  for  brown  weighing  forty-eight  pounds,  use 

7  pounds  of  alum. 

9     do.       of  logwood. 

2     do.       of  argol. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  run  up  with  cold  water  so  as  to  hare  in 
quite  cool,  boil  the  goods  two  hours,   hare  them  out  and  cool  by 
throwing,  then  roll  the  cloth  up  and  let  lay  till  next  day.     Prepare 
a  fresh  liquor  with 

7  pounds  of  alum. 

12     do.    of  banrood. 

1     do.      of  pearl-ash. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  run  up,  have  in  the  cloth,  bring  the  li- 
quor on  to  a  spring  heat,  but  not  to  boil  out,  run  at  that  heat  for 
one  hour. 

It  is  usual  in  English  dye-houses  to  boil  a  number  of  cloths  in  the 
preparation  liquor,  and  6nish  them  afterwards  in  the  fresh  liquo 
successirelv. 


255 

For  a  very  dark  rich  brown  on  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds 
of  wool.     For  the  boihng-,  use 

48  pounds  of  fustic. 

48       do.     of  Sanders. 

12      do.     of  madder. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool  and  boil  it  two 
hours,  cool  down  and  sadden  with  one  and  a  half  pounds  of  copper- 
as and  two  pounds  of  alum,  boil  half  an  hour  and  let  lay  in  ail  night. 

For  a  darker  and  richer  brown  on  one  hundred  and   twenty 
pounds  of  wool. 

li  pounds  of  powdered  nut-galls. 

30      do.     of  redwood. 

12      d®.     of  sanders. 
Boil  the  wares  and  wool  as  before,   sadden  with  one  and  a  halt 
pounds  of  copperas,  boil  one  hour  and  let  lay  all  night. 

For  a  lighter  brown  than  eitlier  of  the  above  for  sixty-eighi 
pounds  of  wool,  use 

2i  pounds  of  nut-galls. 

18      do.     of  Sanders. 

4^      do.     of  peach  wood,  (nicaragua.) 
Boil  the  ingredients  two  liours,  the  wool  two,  run  up  and  add  three- 
eighths  of  a  pound  of  copperas,  boil  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  cool 
down  again  and  strew  over  three  pounds  of  alum,  boil  one  liour 
and  let  lay  in  all  night. 

For  a  very  dark  brown  for  one  hundred  and  forU'  pounds  of  wool, 
use 

70  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
17^    do.    of  bar  wood. 
4      do.     of  logwood. 
3      do.     of  copperas. 
Boil  the  dye  wares  two  hours,  the  wool  two,  cool  down  and  sadden 
with  three  pounds  of  copperas  and  one  and  a  half  pounds  of  alum, 
boil  one  hour  and  let  lay  in  all  night. 


256 

For  a  very  dark  rich  brown,  for  two  hundred  and  sixty  pounds 
of  wool,  use 

224  pounds  of  barwood. 
Boil  the  dye  wares  two  hours,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool  and  boil  it 
two  hours,  cool  down  and  sadden  with  twelve  pounds  of  copperas, 
boil  one  hour  and  let  lay  in  all  night. 

For  a  rich  copper  brown  for  one  hundred  and  eighty  pounds  of 
wool,  use 

60  pounds  of  fustic. 
80      do.     of  barwood. 
Boil  the  dye  wares  two  hours,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool  and  boil  it 
three  hours,  cool  down  and  sadden  with  seven  pounds  of  copperas 
and  three  of  alum,  boil  one  hour  and  let  lay  in  all  night. 

For  a  very  dark  rich  brown  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds 
of  wool,  use 

98  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
58      do.     of  barwood. 
70      do.     of  peach  wood. 
4      do.     of  logwood. 
Boil  the  wares  as  usual,  run  up,  boil  the  wool  three  hours,  cool 
down  and  sadden  with  six  pounds  of  copperas,  boil  one  hour  and  let 
lay  in  all  night. 

For  a  very  rich  brown  lighter  than  the  preceding,  for  three  hun- 
dred pounds  of  wool,  use 

100  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
58      do.     of  barwood. 
34      do.     of  redwood. 
3      do.     of  logwood. 
The  wares  to  boil  two  hours,  run  up,  enter  the  wool  and  boil  it 
three  hours,  cool  down  and  sadden  with  four  pounds  of  alum,  two 
«f  argol,  and  two  pounds  six  ounces  of  copperas,  boil  three  hours? 
and  let  lay  in  alj  night. 


257 


Fer  a  rich  brown  yellower  than  the  last, /or  three  hundred  pounds 

wool,  use 

180  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
90     do.      of  welds. 
10     do.      of  common  madder. 
5     do.      of  redwood. 

2  do.      of  log-wood. 

Wares  to  boil  as  usual,  run  up,  enter  the  wool,  and  boil  it  three 
hours — cool  down  and  sadden  with  nine  pounds  of  alum,  ten 
pounds  of  redwood,  ten  pounds  of  barwood,  and  three  pounds  of 
copperas — boil  one  hour  and  a  half,  and  let  it  lay  in  all  niglit. 

For  a  rich  brown  between  the  two  last^  for  three  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds  of  icooly  use 

350  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
84    do.      of  common  madder. 

3  do.       of  argol. 

Wares  to  boil  as  usual,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool,  and  boil  it  two 
hours^-cool  down  and  sadden  with  three  pounds  of  alum,  three  of 
copperas,  and  fifteen  of  barwood — boil  two  hours,  and  let  lay  in  all 
nig-ht.     The  three  last  receipts  afford  remarkably  rich  browns. 

Receipts  for  olive  browns. 

For  a  light  olive  brown  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of 
wool,  use 

200  pounds  of  chipped  fustic, 
70    do.      of  welds. 
8     do.      of  redwood. 
10     do       of  mull  madder. 
2     do.      of  logwood. 
The  wares  to  boil  as  usual,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool,  and  boil  three 
hours— cool  down  and  sadden  with  six  pounds  of  alum,  and  threr 

22* 


^8 

pannis  <rf  copperas, — boii  one  hour  aixi  a  half,  and  let  it  lay  in  all 

Eicbt.* 

For  a  darJcer  olive  lets  upon  the  red,  for  two  hundred  and  eight 
*         pounds  of  'jcool^  use 
1 40  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
20     do.      of  logwood. 
8    do.      of  common  madder. 
7     do.      of  best  madder. 
Wares  to  boil  as  usual,  run  up.  heave  in  the  wool,  and  boil  it  three 
hours— cool  down  and  sadden  with  seven  and  a  half  pounds  of  cop- 
peras and  seven  of  alum — let  lay  in  all  nig-ht. 

There  are  a  number  of  colours  having  a  yellow  hue  that  have 
no  yellow  dye  in  them.  They  are  mostly  made  on  cloth,  and  very 
rich  and  beautiful,  being-  partly  made  with  cochineal,  rendered 
more  or  less  yellow  by  the  action  of  cream  of  tartar,  and  of  tin 
liquor.  I  shall  give  receipts  for  these  in  this  place,  because  they 
come  nearer  to  colours  made  of  red  and  yellow  than  to  any  other 
class. 

For  a  ridi  miae  colour  fur  forty-eight  pounds  of  fine  cloth,  use  for 

th^e  boiling 

5  pounds  of  alum. 

3  do.      of  cream  of  tartar* 

4  do.      of  brazil  wood. 
1     do.      of  cochineal. 

4  pints  of  tin  liquor. 
TLe  wares  lo  boil  (me  hour,  the  liquor  cooled  down  quite  low,  the 
cloth  to  be  entered  rapidly,  and  kept  in  quick  motion  all  the  time 
of  working — to  be  bailed  two  hours,  then  prepare  a  fresh  li- 
quor witli 

6  pooDds  of  brazil. 

1^    do.      of  pearl- asb. 
3 1  pints  of  tin  liquor- 


^59 

The  wares  to  boil  one  hour,  cool  down  and  run  tlie  cloth  till  of 
the  coluur  wanted. 

Bv  v^ryirsg-  the  proportion  of  brazil,  and  by  increasing  or  less- 
ening- tiie  pearl-ash,  a  great  variety  of  these  colours  may  be  pro- 
duce.!. 

JFor  a  ri<:h  wine  colour  on  one  hundred  and  tvoenty  ■pounds  of  vxyoh 

use  for  the  boiling 

20  pounds  of  alum. 
20  do  of  tartar. 
2\     do.      of  cochineal. 

Boil  the  alum  and  tartar  half  an  hour,  then  the  cochineal  fifteen 
minutes,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool,  and  boil  two  hours— cool  down, 
land  the  wool,  and  bring  on  a  fresh  liquor.  Put  into  the  fresh  li- 
quor half  a  bushel  of  bran,  when  the  bran  rises,  scum  it  off  clean 
with  a  fine  sieve — then  put  in  forty  pounds  of  best  madder,  boil 
two  or  three  minutes,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool,  and  boil  it  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour — let  it  be  one  hour  coming  up  to  a  boil — land,  and 
wash. 

For  a  fine  wine  colour  on  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  wooly 
use  for  the  boiling 

1  pound  of  cochineaL 

7^  do.     of  brazil. 

25  do.     of  alum. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  run  up,   enter  the  wool  and  boil  it  three 
hours — then  strew  over  six  gallons  of  urine,  work  the  wool  Mell, 
and  let  lay  all  night.     Wash  the  wool,  and  finish  in  a  fresh  liquoE, 
mth  seventy  pounds  of  best  madder. 


260 


To  dye  chocolate  on  cotton. 

The  cotton  to  be  boiled  in  a  liquor  of  nut-galls,  and  alumed  the 
same  as  for  red.  Then  use  six  ounces  of  alum  and  two  of  copper- 
as to  each  pound  of  cotton,  wring  out  and  dry  as  for  red — prepare 
it  a  second  time  in  alum  and  copperas,  wring  out  and  dry  again — 
wash  well  and  wring — then  madder  it  with  half  pound  of  madder 
to  each  pound  of  cotton,  the  same  as  for  red,  wash  well,  and  it  is 
finished. 

If  not  red  enough,  give  it  a  small  quantity  of  brazilletto  chips, 
if  not  enough  on  the  claret,  give  it  a  very  little  logwood. 

Common  mode  of  dying  chocolate  on  cotton. 

Prepare  the  cotton  with  sumac  instead  of  galls,  sadden  with  two 
ounces  of  copperas  to  one  pound  of  cotton,  wash  well,  and  return 
it  in  the  sumac  liquor — wash  well,  wring  out,  and  return  it  again 
in  the  copperas  liquor — wash  well,  dry,  and  alum  it  with  six  ounces  l 
of  alum  to  each  pound  of  cotton — then  proceed  as  directed  for  the 
last  chocolate. 

Third  receipt  for  chocolate  on  cotton. 

Give  to  the  cotton  the  usual  preparation — for  each  pound  boil 
four  ounces  of  sumac,  turn  in  the  cotton,  squeeze  out,  and  turn  in 
again,  putting  it  in  as  open  and  as  even  as  you  can,  and  let  it  lay 
all  night.  In  the  morning  wring  out  gently,  and  dissolve  for  each 
pound  of  cotton  one  ounce  of  copperas,  turn  in  with  the  water  suf- 
ficiently warm,  and  work  half  an  hour — wring  out,  wash  well,  and 
add  some  urine  to  the  sumac  liquor,  turn  in  the  cotton,  and  woi^  J 
quick  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes — squeeze  out,  dissolve  one 
ounce  of  copperas  to  each  pound  of  cotton,  and  add  it  to  the  former 
liquor — turn  in  and  handle  well  for  twenty  minutes,  wring  out  and 
wash  well.     If  a  brown  chocolate  is  wanted;  and  the  sumac  liquor 


261 

should  not  be  turned,  put  some  urine  to  water,  and  while  that  is 
doing,  boil  for  each  pound  of  cotton  half  a  pound  of  brazillelto 
chips,  (if  not  for  a  very  red  colour,  four  ounces  will  do,)  pour  in  a 
little  urine,  or  lime  water,  while  the  liquor  is  boiling— when  boil- 
ed, take  off  the  clear  liquor,  and  turn  it  in  at  the  usual  heat — when 
it  has  been  well  worked  in  this  liquor,  dissolve  for  each  pound  of 
cotton,  one  ounce  of  alum  in  warm  water,  stir  well,  and  turn  in 
the  cotton — let  it  lay  one  hour,  wring  out,  and  turn  it  into  the  bra- 
zilletto  hquor  as  before — wring  out,  dry,  and  it  is  finished. 

If  wanted  of  a  blue  cast,  or  more  like  purple  or  claret,  the  urine 
must  be  omitted,  and  after  it  has  been  alumed  the  second  time,  add 
logwood  liquor  to  the  brazilletto,  by  which,  different  shades  of  co» 
lour  may  be  produced. 

To  dye  brown  on  cotton. 

Give  a  ground  of  sumac,  handle  well,  and  let  it  lay  in  the  liquor 
all  night.  In  the  morning  add,  for  each  pound  of  cotton,  two  ounces 
of  copperas,  when  well  worked,  wring  out,  and  wash  well — -turn 
into  the  sumac  liquor  again  for  fifteen  minutes,  then  copperas  a  se- 
cond time  without  washing.  Make  a  lime-water  with  a  handful  o 
lime  for  each  pound  of  cotton,  put  the  lime  into  a  bucket  of  water, 
stir  well,  let  stand  till  clear,  pour  off  the  clear  liquor,  add  more 
water  to  the  lime,  and  repeat  till  liquor  enough  is  obtained  to  work 
the  cotton — turn  in  and  work  very  quick.  While  this  is  doing,  take 
scalding  water,  and  put  into  it  for  every  pound  of  cotton,  one  pound 
of  ground  black  oak  bark — put  the  bark  into  a  tub,  and  pour  tlie 
boiling  water  on  it,  and  sprinkle  into  it  for  each  pound  of  cotton 
half  an  ounce  of  lime — turn  in  the  cotton,  at  the  usual  heat,  for 
fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  wring  out,  dry  it,  and  it  will  be  a  fine 
brown. 

The  darker  the  colour  is  before  turning  into  the  lime-water,  the 
finer  and  richer  it  will  be  when  finished. 


262 

To  dye  monmeon  silk. 

Wash  the  siik  from  boiiing  in  soap,  aJum  as  usual  for  iLrec  Louis, 

wasii  in  t?ro  tubs  of  cold  waler  and  stick  up ;  take  four  or  five  pail 

lih  of  brazil  liquor,  pour  oa  it  water  as  hot  as  tLe  band  can  bear, 

tarn  in  tbe  silk  and  hanM^.  tUl  of  the  colour  wanted,  wring  out  and 

dry  in.  a  stove. 

To  dfe  coUmrs  compovndrd  of  red  and  blue. 

To  this  class  of  cirioare  are  comprised  imperial  blues,  purples, 
lilacs,  crimaML,  |Miik,  mulberry,  claret,  corbeau,  &c. 

TocoSour  imperial  blue,  notljing-  more  is  necessary  than  to  boil 
cure  or  Jess  of  archil  and  alum,  and  run  light  blues  throug^h  the 
HqmiT  sd  a  boiliag  heat  till  of  the  colour  wanted.  When  the  im- 
perial is  required  to  be  Tcry  red,  use  cutbear,  either  by  itself  or 
with  the  a2«:liiL 

To  cokrar  nineCj  poonds  of  fine  cloth  a  rick  purple,  prepare  the 
Kqpor  by  potting-  into  it  a  quarter  of  a  peck  of  bran,  and  when  it 
rises  to  the  surface,  as  it  begins  to  bml,  scum  the  bran  oS,  clean 
witii  a  fiue  sieve.     Use  far  the  boiliog' 

4  pooDik  of  cream  of  tartar. 
6      do.     of  alum. 
4  pints  of  tin  liqa<M'. 
H  poonds  of  cocbioeal. 
Boil  tbe  alum,   tartar  and  tin  for  one  hour,  then  the  cochineal  for 
len  minutes,  ran  op,  heave  in  the  ^oods  and  boil  two  Lours.    Pre* 
pare  a  fre^  liquor  with 

4  pounds  of  alam. 
6      do.     c^  brazil  wood. 
4  {nnts  4d  tin  liquor. 
18  pounds  of  logwood. 
3i  pooads  of  chemick. 


263 

Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  run  up,  Leave  in  cool  and  work  rapid. 
Boil  till  finished. 

For  a  very  light  purple,  on  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of 
wool,  for  the  boiling",  use 

21  pounds  of  alum. 

The  wool  to  boil  in  this  liquor  for  two  hours,  then  land  and  add 
twenty-four  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar,  and  four  pounds  of  cochi- 
neal; boil  the  tartar  one  hour,  then  add  the  cochineal  and  boil  a 
quarter  of  an  hour;  cool  down,  heave  in  the  wool  rapidly  and  boil 
to  the  colour  wanted.  By  blueing  in  the  woad  vat  any  body  of 
purple  mar  be  obtained,  but  this  should  be  done,  and  the  wool  well 
washed  before  dying  in  the  furnace. 

For  a  purple  for  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  wool.  Make 
it  first  a  very  light  blue  in  the  woad  vat,  wash  very  clean*,  and  boil 
it  with  sixteen  pounds  of  alum,  land  the  wool,  and  add  to  the  liquor 
twelve  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar  and  three  pounds  of  cocliineal. 
Boil  the  wool  till  of  the  colour  wanted. 

When  darker  purples  are  required,  they  may  be  finished  in  a 
fresh  liquor  with  brazil  wood  and  logwood. 


TO  DYE  PURPLE  ON  COTTON. 

COTTON  for  purple  must  be  well  cleansed  and  should  be  bleach- 
ed. Take  for  each  pound  one  quart  of  iron  liquor,  and  four  quarts 
of  water  ;  put  this  into  a  brass  or  copper  kettle,  add  for  each  pound 
of  cotton  half  an  ounce  of  salt-petre,  half  an  ounce  of  sal-armoniac, 
and  half  an  ounce  of  cream  of  tartar,  all  pounded  together  till  fine, 
and  kept  over  the  fire  till  scalding  hot ;  take  it  off  the  fire,  and 
when  cooled  sufficiently  to  bear  the  hand  in  it,  turn  in  the  cotton, 
squeeze  out,  turn  in  again  and  let  lay  all  night ;  wring  out  in  the 
morniag,  dry  and  wash.     It  must  now  be  galled,  the  same  as  for 


264 

red,  allowing  half  a  pound  of  g^  for  each  pound  of  cotton  ;  wring 
out,  dry,  and  it  is  finished. 

This  colour  may  be  raised  with  logwood  liquor,  but  it  will  not 
stand. 

To  colour  a  common  purple  on  cotton. 

Boil  and  well  wash  the  cotton,  for  each  pound,  boil  half  a  pound 
of  logwood,  take  the  clean  liquor,  and  when  you  can  bear  the  hand 
in  it,  add  urine,  turn  in  the  cotton  for  an  hour,  then  raise  it  out, 
and  put  it  on  a  pin  to  drain.  Make  a  fresh  liquor  by  dissolving 
for  each  pound  of  cotton  three-quarters  of  an  ounce  of  alum  in  as 
much  water  as  will  be  sufficient  to  work  the  cotton  in,  add  a  dish 
of  logwood  liquor,  squeeze  the  cotton  and  turn  in,  handle  as  quick 
as  possible  for  two  or  three  times,  it  must  be  worked  till  it  becomes 
of  a  beautiful  lilac.  When  the  colour  is  as  bright  as  you  wish, 
wring  out  gently,  wash  it  a  little,  wring  it  even  and  turn  it  into 
the  logwood  liquor  again,  and  work  it  quick  once  or  twice.  If 
the  liquor  does  not  work  well,  add  for  each  pound  of  cotton,  half 
an  onnce  of  alum,  when  dissolved  stir  well,  turn  in  for  fifteen  or 
twenty  minutes,  wring  out  evenly  and  dry  in  the  shade. 

To  colour  lilac. 

To  dye  lilac  on  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  wool.     For 

boiling,  use 

12  pounds  of  alum. 

9      do.     of  cream  of  tartar. 

The  ingredients  to  boil  one  hour,  the  liquor  run  up,  and  the 

wool  to  boil  two  hours;  land  it,  and  boil  one  and  a  quarter  pound    - 

of  cochineal  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  cool  down,  heave  in  the  wool    ' 

rapidly  and  boil  to  the  colour  wanted. 

Any  shade  may  be  obtained  by  slightly  blueing  it  in  the  woad 
rat  previous  to  dying  it  in  the  furnace,  and  by  varying  the  quanti- 
V  of  cochinea  I. 


265 

To  colour  lilac  on  silk. 

Boil  it  after  pink,  then  take  a  thin  liquor  of  lather,  put  into  this 
some  red  archil  liquor,  and  well  work  the  silk  in  it;  then  net.  out 
in  a  lather  made  with  soap  lees  and  lime  water,  in  which  it  may 
be  blued  to  the  colour  wanted. 

To  dye  crimson. 

For  crimson  on  forty-eight  pounds  of  fine  cloth — use  for  boiling", 
3  pounds  of  alum'. 

2  do.      of  cream  of  tartar, 
i     do.       of  cochineal. 

3  pints  of  tin  liquor. 

Boil  the  ingredients  one  hour,  cool  down,  have  in  the  cloth,  and 
boil  two  hours.     Prepare  a  fresh  liquor,  and  put  in 

2  pounds  of  alum. 

3  do.      of  pearl-ash. 

4  do.      of  brazil  wood. 

2  do.      of  urine. 

Boil  the  wares  one  hour,  then  add  the  urine ;  cool  down,  have  in 

rapidly,  and  boil  to  the  colour  wanted.  It  is  often  finished  with- 
out boiling  the  cloth,  by  keeping  the  liquor  at  a  spring  heat. 

For  a  crimson  on  sixty  pound's  of  wool,  use  for  boilings 

1  pound  of  cochineal. 

3  do.     of  crop  madder. 
6     do.     of  argol. 

3  do.     of  alum. 

4  pints  of  tin  liquor. 

Boil  the  alum,  argol,  and  tin  liquor,  for  half  an  hour,  then  add  the 
madder  and  cochineal,  and  boil  ten  minutes,  run  up,  have  in  the 
wool,  and  boil  it  two  hours — run  off  the  liquor  and  wash  clean. 
Prepare  a  fresh  liquor  with 

6  pounds  of  cutbear. 

2  buckets  of  unoe. 

Boil  the  cutbear  half  an  ho«r,  and  then  put  in  the  sig — soon  as 

23 


266 

tim  IS  done,  nm  up  tbe  fiimace,  haFe  in  oooL»  let  it  be  two 
oomii^  o^»  to  a  qprii^  beat,  ajki  it  is  inished. 

To  Jye  a  pink. 

To  cfAoai  Mj  pounds  of  cLwh  a  Sue  pink,  ose 

4  poaads  of  alaniL. 
Boil  line  cloth  one  hoar,  hare  out,  and  add  lo  tie  liqoor 

4  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar. 

4  pints  of  tin  li<q[D<v. 

1  pound  of  oocbioeaL 
Boil  tbe  clotb  onto  the  coloiir  is  lich  and  bright     If  wanted  to  be 
Uaer.  add  wine  to  tbe  liquor  till  enougii. 

For  a  pink  o«  ome  kMmdred  and  twaUx/  j^imdg  of  wool,  ust  for 

bfdlmgf 
2  pounds  of  cocbineaL 
18    do.      of  alom. 
12  .  do.      of  cream  of  tartar. 
Boi!  the  alum  and  tartar  for  half  an  hour,  then  tbe  cocLineal  for 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  cool  dowc,  bare  in  tbe  woo!,  and  boil  two 
hours — let  laj  all  night. 

Pinfa  mar  be  raade  into  rich  wine  colours  br  boilii^  them  in  a 
5"  OfT,  or  into  lilac,  by  blnii^  IIm^u  in  a  very  weak 

^  If  done  in  too  stroi^  a  Tat  it  will  make 

To  dye  ptmk  on  aJk. 

Teke  of  6»£lower,  one  bundr^  and  twelre  pounds,  wash  it  well 
in  a  tub  drf^  water,  hario^  a  reel  placed  inside  ci  it,  nclil  aU  tbe  yel- 
low oooies  out— wiien  wefl  washed,  fill  up  with  clean  water,  and 
add  four  pcuods  of  peari  a^b,  draw  this  off;  fill  again  witb  water, 
asd  let  thi-  3aj  till  the  Sewer  is  quite  white.     TLe  two  last  Ijqaore 

it  two  OT  thnee  peils  cf  liine- 
--  "  -  J  i-t  t  L.  jjuzl'  uir  2i£w,  and  prtoduc-e  a 


267 

Take  large  hanks  of  silk,  and  let  them  lay  in  the  liquor  till  all  Ih* 
liquor  is  extracted — then  throw  the  liquor  off,  and  pump  up  with 
fresh  water,  add  to  it  one  pail  of  lime-juice,  and  let  the  hanks  lay 
in  this  liquor  till  wanted.  Wring  out  the  hanks  when  wanted,  put 
them  in  water  of  a  milk  heat,  with  a  small  quantity  of  pearl-a^h, 
when  the  silk  has  spent  its  colour,  add  a  little  lime  or  lemon-juice, 
to  bring  to  the  colour  wanted. 

If  any  of  the  silk  should  not  be  dark  enough,  re-dye  until  like 
the  darkest.  After  the  pink  is  dark  enough,  wring  it  out  in  hand- 
fuls,  then  make  a  small  tub  of  water  with  lime-juice,  give  a  few 
turns  in  this,  wring  out,  and  dry.  The  last  process  is  called 
scrooping. 

To  dye  mulberry. 

For  forty-eight  pounds  of  cloth,  for  a  rich  mulberry,  for  the 
feoiling,  use 

3  pounds  of  alum. 

2  do.      of  cream  of  tartar. 

3  pints  of  tin  liquor. 
1  pound  of  argol. 

1     do.  -  of  cochineal. 
Boil  the  ingredients  for  half  an  hour,  cool  down,  have  in  the  cloth 
rapidly,  and  boil  two  hours.     Finish  in  a  fresh  liquor,  with 

3  pounds  of  alum. 
16     do.      of  brazil  wood. 
14     do.     of  logwood. 

1  pint  of  tin  liquor. 

1  pound  of  best  crop  madder. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  cool  down,  enter  the  cloth  rapidly,  and 
boil  tc  the  colour  wanted. 

For  a  dark  mulberry  on  two  hundred  pounds  of  wool. 
100  pounds  of  bar  wood. 
30     do.       of  logwood. 
3    do.      of  cream  of  tartar. 


268 

Boil  the  wares  two  hoars,  cool  down,  have  in  the  wool,  and  boil  it 
three  boars— <mx>1  down,  and  sadden  with  three  pounds  of  copper- 
as— ^let  it  lie  in  all  ni^ht. 

To  colour  mulberry  on  tilk. 

Boil  with  coloured  soap,  and  wash  oat — alum  and  wash  out — take 
of  brazil  liquor  three  or  four  pails,  put  it  into  a  back,  and  throw 
on  it  nine  or  ten  pails  of  boiling  water,  pump  up,  stir  well,  and  put 
in  half  a  ladle  of  logwood  liquor — ^tum  the  silk  in  this  seven  or 
eight  times,  then  take  it  out  and  lay  it  by  the  furnace — add  more 
logwood  aikl  brazil  till  of  the  desired  colour — when  nearly  dark 
enough,  throw  a  pail  of  urine  into  a  back  of  clean  water,  milk 
warm,  turn  in,  and  make  rather  bluer  than  pattern.  If  the  urine 
does  not  make  it  blue  enough,  take  a  clean  liquor,  and  blue  with 
pot-ash. 

Plum  colours  on  silk  are  dyed  the  same  as  mulberry,  with  less 

brazil. 

To  dye  claret. 

For  a  claret  on  forty-eight  pounds  of  cloth,  use  for  boiling 
5  pounds  of  alum. 
1     do.      of  argol. 
5     do.      of  brazil. 

5  do.      of  logwood. 
•*       1     do.      of  madder. 

Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  run  up,  hare  in  the  cloth,  and  boil  one 
hoar  and  a  half — then  finish  in  a  fresh  liquor  with 

6  pounds  of  brazil, 
li    do      of  i>earl-ash. 

Boil  the  wares  half  an  hour,  run  up,  have  in,  cool  and  bring  on 
ST^duallv — boil  tiU  of  the  colour  wanted. 


269 

For  a  dark  claret  on  one  hundred  and  seventy  pounds  of  wooL 
210  pounds  of  barwood. 
4^     do.      of  cream  of  tartar. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool,  and  boil  gent- 
ly for  three  hours — cool  down  and  sadden  with  three  pounds  of 
copperas.     Let  it  lie  in  all  night. 

For  a  light  claret  for  one  hundred  and  seventy  pounds  of  wool, 

use  for  boiling 
168  pounds  of  barwood. 
10     do      of  cream  of  tartar. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  cool  down,  have  in  the  wool,  and  boil 
three  hours — cool  down  and  sadden  with  two  pounds  of  copperas. 
Let  it  lie  in  all  night. 

To  colour  morone  on  silk. 

Wasli  from  boiling  in  soap — alum  for  three  hours,  wash  in  two 
tubs  of  cold  water,  stick  up,  take  four  or  five  pails  of  brazil  liquor, 
pour  on  water  as  hot  as  the  hand  can  bear,  put  in  the  silk  and  han- 
dle— when  of  the  colour  wanted,  wring  out  and  drj'  in  stove. 

To  dye  corbeau. 

For  a  very  dark  corbeau  on  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds  of 
wool.     For  the  boiling,  use 

112  pounds  of  barwood. 
28     do.      of  logwood. 
The  dye  wares  to  boil  three  hours,  the  furnace  run  up,  the  wool 
entered  and  boiled  two  hours,  sadden  with  ten  pounds  of  copper- 
as, and  six  of  fustick — boil  one  hour  and  a  half,  and  let  lie  in  all 
night. 

For  a  lighter  corbeau  on  two  hundred  and  forty  pounds  of  wool, 

use  for  the  boiling 

112  pounds  of  redwood. 

30     do.      of  logwood. 

23* 


270 

The  wares  to  boil  three  hours,  run  up,  and  hare  in  the  wool  and 
bojJ  it  threi"  hours— cool  down  and  sadden  with  three  pounds  of 
copperas — boil  one  hour  and  let  lie  in  all  night. 

There  are  many  colours  of  a  more  coraplexed  kind  than  any  T 
have  given  receipts  for,  being  compounded  of  yellow,  red  and  blue 
an  i  some  mostly  yeUow :  such  are  tea  browns,  London  smoke  and 
Paris  mud.     I  shall  give  receipts  for  those  in  this  place,  as  the 
browns  will  then  be  complete. 

Tea  browns  approach  nearly  to  a  dark  olire,  with  less  of  green 
than  an  olive  green,  and  le*s  of  red  than  an  olive  brown. 

For  a  tea  broicn  on  fifleen  pounds  of  cloth. 

3  pounds  of  alum. 
2  do.  of  argol. 
6     do.     of  madder. 

4  do.     of  fustic. 

Boil  the  wares  one  hour,  run  up,  hare  in  the  cloth,  and  boil  one  _ 
hour  and  a  half — cool  down,  take  out  the  cloth  and  add  to  the  li-  \ 
quor  four  pounds  of  iogirood  and  half  a  pound  of  copperas — boil 
the  wares  half  an  hour,  run  up,  have  in  the  cloth  and  boil  to  the 
colour  wanted. 

For  a  tta  brown  on  nxiy  pounds  of  wool.     For  the  boUing,  u#c 

18  pounds  of  fustic. 

6     do.      of  larwood. 

5h  do.      of  logwood. 

4     do.      of  common  madder. 

2    do.      of  argol. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  cool  down,  have  in  the  wool  and  boil  it 
two  hours — cool  down  and  sadden  with  three-quarters  of  a  pound 
of  copperas.     Boil  one  hour,  and  let  it  lie  in  aU  night. 


271 


For  a  Lo7idon  smoke  on  two  hundred  pounds  of  wool.     For  the 

boiling,  use 

8  pounds  of  rasped  fustic. 

6  p<»unds  of  redwood. 

6     do       of  logwood. 

5     do.      of  ombre  madder. 

2     do.      of  camwood. 
20     do.     of  barwood. 
The  wares  to  boil  two  hours,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool  and  boil  one 
hour  and  a  half— cool  down  and  sadden  with  two  pounds  of  cop- 
peras and  nine  pounds  of  arg-ol — boil  one  hour,  and  let  lie  in  all 
night. 

For  a  Paris  mud  for  two  hundred  and  sixty  pounds  of  wool.  Boil 
the  wool  with  fifty  pounds  of  alum  for  three  hours ;  land  and  well 
wash ;  finish  in  a  fresh  liquor  with 

80  pounds  of  chipped  fustic. 
3      do.     of  logwood. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool  and  boil  three 
hours,  then  throw  on  twenty  pounds  of  rasped  logwood  and  boil 
three  hours,  cool  down  and  throw  on  four  pounds  of  rasped  logwood, 
boil  one  hour  and  let  lie  all  night. 


TO  DYE  DRABS. 

IN  drabs  there  are  a  great  variety  of  colours,  and  an  immense 
number  of  shades  ;  some  have  a  blue  hue,  some  a  red,  some  a  yel- 
low, and  there  are  many  that  do  not  partake  of  either  of  these  hues. 
I  shall  begin  with  drabs  that  have  a  blue  hue,  and  proceed  with 
others  in  the  order  mentioned. 

For  a  very  light  blue  drab,  on  forty-five  pounds  of  cloth, 
2  pounds  of  alum. 


272 

1  i  pounds  of  arg-ol,  or  cream  of  tartar. 

2  do      of  chipped  logwood. 

Boil  the  wares  one  hour,  cool  down,  have  in  the  cloth  and  boil 
two  hourss  cool  down,  take  out  the  cloth,  bring  the  furnace  to  a 
boil,  and  while  boiling  drop  in  two  ounces  ofchemick.  boil  ten  mi- 
nutes, cool  down,  have  in  the  cloth  very  rapidly,  and  turn  the 
reel  as  fast  as  the  cloth  can  be  opened  after  it  is  entered — bring 
the  liquor  to  a  boil,  and  run  till  the  desired  colour  is  obtained. 
Cloth  may  be  dyed  to  any  shade,  by  using  more  or  less  of  chemick 
and  logwood. 

For  a  blue  drah  on  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  wool. 

5  pounds  of  weld. 

4    do.      of  common  madder. 

2     do.     of  logwood. 
•  li  do.     of  argol. 

Boil  the  wares  one  hour,  cool  down,  have  in  the  wool  and  boil  one 
hour — then  add  half  a  pound  of  alum,  three-quarters  of  a  pound 
of  copperas,  and  half  a  tea  cup  full  of  chemick — boil  three-quar- 
ters of  an  hour,  and  let  lay  all  night — a  little  archil  will  give  a 
blue  blush  to  these  colours. 

I  must  inform  those  who  are  not  well  versed  with  working  wool 
in  the  furnace,  that  whenever  chemick  is  added  in  the  saddening, 
it  must  be  first  mixed  in  a  bucket  of  the  liquor,  and  then  strew 
over  the  wool  a  small  quantity  at  a  time,  while  the  wool  is  being 
rapidly  worked.  Those  who  are  quite  ignorant  of  the  process,  had 
better  land  the  wool  and  mix  the  chemick  in  the  liquor  by  stirring 
it  well  with  the  dye-house  rake  previous  to  re-entering  the  wool. 

For  a  very  dark  blue  drab  on  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of 

wool. 
12  pounds  of  weld. 
2      do.     of  fustic. 
8i     do.     of  logwood, 
2      do.     of  arffol. 


273 

1  tea  cup  full  of  chemick. 
Boil  the  four  first  articles  one  hour,  then  drop  in  the  chemick  while 
the  furnace  is  boiling- ;  boil  ten  minutes  after  it  is  in,  cool  down, 
enter  the  wool  and  boil  it  one  hour  ;  then  add  one  and  a  half  pound 
of  alum,  and  boil  a  quarter  of  an  hour  ;  then  one  and  a  half  pounds 
of  copperas  and  one  tea  cup  full  of  chemick,  boil  one  hour  and  let 
lay  in  all  night. 

Tq  dye  red  drabs. 

For  a  very  lig-ht  drab  having*  a  red  hue,  on  one  hundred  and 
twenty  pounds  of  cloth, 

2  pounds  of  alum. 
2     do.     of  arg-ol. 
\h    do.     of  best  madder. 
2  pints  of  tin  liquor. 
20  pounds  of  fustic. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  cool  down,  enter  the  cloth  and  boil  one 
hour  and  a  half,  or  till  of  the  colour  wanted.     Any  shade  may  be 
obtained  by  adding-  more  or  less  of  madder  and  fustic,  as  well  as 
of  tin  liquor, 

A  strong-  decoction  of  alder  bark  makes  a  red  drab  without  any 
mordant ;  blue  vitriol  darkens  it  without  injuring-  the  red,  and  cop- 
peras turns  it  of  a  greenish  drab. 

For  a  light  red  drab,  on  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  wool. 
1  pound  of  nut-galls. 
4     do.     of  madder. 
Boil  the  wares  half  an  hour,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool,  and  boil 
half  an  hour,  cool  down  and  strew  over  one  pound  of  copperas  and 
half  a  pound  of  alum;  boil  half  an  hour,  while  boiling,  strew  over 
one  and  a  half  pounds  of  fustic,  and  one  and  a  half  pounds  of  cream 
of  tartar,   boil  half  ao  hour,   and  if  dark  enough,  cool  down  and 
land,  if  not,  let  it  lay  in  all  night. 


274 

For  adazk  red  drab,  on  one  bnndred  and  tweotj  pounds  of  wool, 

2  pounds  of  grmnd  Nunac. 
7)    jio.     of  tilslic. 

Si     do.    of  baiwopd. 
1      do.     of  Sanders. 

3  dot     of  ombrD  madder. 

Boil  dtae  wares  two  hoars,  ran  op,  ha^e  in  the  wocd  and  boil  two 
honrs,  oool  down  and  sadden  witfi  one  and  a  half  poands  of  copper- 
as, and  <Mie  and  a  half  pounds  id  alum,  bdll  one  hour  and  land. 

T'j  dxi  %'.llov:  drabf. 
A%  fhese  aite  the  oolouVt  irovi  geoeraiiv  vrom.  I  sliaD  ^ire  more 
zcceiptfr  than  fiw  the  odier&,  including  a  greater  Tariety  <^  shades. 

Far  a  wery  tight  drab^  haxis^  a  stigkl  yellow  tiage^  on  eighty 
poum'fs  of  wooL 
1\  pdondsof  ground  fastic 
i      dou  of  kigwood. 
I      do.  of  b^l:  madder. 

The  wares  to  bofl  two  hoars  in  a  coarse  bag,  the  furnace  ran 
«p,  and  the  wool  boiled  two  hoais — cool  the  liqnor  bj  running  op 
with  cxilA  water — then  strew  over,  for  saddening,  one  ponnd  of 
alum,  and  fimr  qbbccs  of  copperas,  haTisg  previooslj  disscJred 
them  in  a  bucket  of  the  hqaor — let  the  wool  boil  4me  boar — ran 
off  the  hqnor  slowlj,  and  while  this  is  doiiig,  ran  op  with  water 
sofiicieitf^  to  cool  the  liqnor  so  low  as  to  make  it  (feasant  to  im- 
merae  the  hand — when  the  Hgptar  i&  all  ran  off,  land  the  wool  and 
well  wash. 

W^n.^rviiafemtkadesiaarktrOuui  Oie  abowt^om forty-two  yovnds 

^  wo»L 

1^  poands  of  fastic 
f      do-    of  logwood, 
i  pcmnd  of  madder. 
^      do.    of  alum. 


275 

To  be  proceeded  with  as  for  the  last,  and  add  for  the  saddening, 
half  a  ^uund  of  copperas— let  boil  hair  an  hour,  land  and  wash,  as 
before. 

F'>r  a  darker  colour,  varying  a  little  in  the  shade,  on  seventy-four 

pounds  of  wool. 

2  pounds  of  fustic. 

1     do.      of  log-wood. 

i     do.      of  madder. 
To  be  proceeded  Tvith  as  for  the  two  last,  sadden  with  one  pound  of 
alum,  and  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  copperas— boU  half  an  hour, 
and  let  it  lay  -Al  night. 

For  a  light  yellow  drah,  on  three  hundred  pounds  of  wool. 

38  pounds  of  weld. 

8     du.      of  Ingwood. 

4     do.       of  argol. 

4  do.  of  alum. 
li  do.  of  copperas. 
Boil  the  weld  in  bags  one  hour,  take  it  out,  add  the  other  ingredi- 
ents, boil  half  an  hour,  run  up,  have  in  the  wool,  ond  boil  It  two 
hours— then  run  up,  and  add  one  pound  eight.ounces  of  oil  of  ri- 
triol,  work  well  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  without  boiling— if  the 
colour  is  dark  enough,  cool  down,  run  the  liquor  off,  and  wash— if 
required  to  be  darker,  let  it  lie  in  all  night. 

For  a  light  drah,  not  so  yellow  as  the  last,  on  tvco  hundred  and 
seventy  pounds  of  wool. 

15  pounds  of  weld. 
2     do.      of  fustic. 
7     do.      of  logwood. 
2    do.      of  umbro  madder. 


276 

3  pounds  of  argol,  or  cream  of  tartar. 

2  do.  ofalimi. 
The  weld  to  be  boiled  in  bags  and  taken  out  as  the  last,  the  other 
wa'-es  to  boil  one  hour,  the  furnace  run  up,  the  wool  entered  and 
boiled  one  hour^-cool  down  and  add  ?ix  ounces  of  copperas  and  a 
qua-  ter  of  a  pint  of  oil  of  vitriol — boil  half  an  hour,  run  off,  or  let 
lie  according  to  the  colour  wanted. 

For  a  dark  yellow  drab  on  tuco  hundred  and  forty  pounds  of  \oooi. 

^  20  pounds  of  weld. 

l^      do.     of  red  argol. 

1  do,     of  rasped  fustic. 

The  wares  to  boil  as  before,  have  in  the  wool  and  boil  one  hour- 
then  add  by  sti'ewicg  over 

3i  Lounds  of  ground  logwood. 

3i     do.      of  ombre  madder. 

The  wool  to  boil  two  hours,  cooled  down  and  landed— add  to  the 

liquor 

1  pound  six  ounces  of  copperas. 
1     do.     of  alum. 

Stir  well,  have  in  the  avooI,  boil  one  hour — let  it  lie  in  all  night 

For  a  dark  yellow  drab,  on  two  hundred  and  forty  pounds  of  wool. 
20  pounds  of  weld. 

5      do.     of  rasped  fustic. 

4      do.     of  logwood. 
12      do.     of  common  madder. 

2  do.     of  copperas. 

The  weld  to  be  builed  one  hour  and  taken  out,  after  which  add 
the  other  materials,  boil  one  hour,  run  up,  heave  in  the  wool  and 
boQ  two  hours,  land,  or  let  it  lie  all  night. 

There  are  many  drabs  that  do  not  come  under  the  denominatioQ 
of  blue,  red,  and  yellow,  =:uch  are  pearl  drab=>.  green  drabs  kc.  I 
shall  proceed  to  give  receipts  for  these,  for  although  there  are  not 


277 

now  fashionable,  excepting  the  pearls,  they  may  become  so  as  the 
fastiion  changes. 

To  dye  pearl  drabs. 

For  a  very  light  white  pearl  on  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds 
of  wool. 

1  pound  of  alum. 

6  ounces  of  logwood. 
Let  the  wares  boil  half  an  hour,  run  up,  heave  in  the  wool  and 
bring  the   liquor  to  a  spring  heat,  keep  at  this  heat  for  a  quarter 
of  an  hour,  land  and  wash.     The  wool  must  be  briskly  handled  all 
the  time  it  is  in  the  furnace. 

For  a  light  red  pearl  on  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  wool. 
14  ounces  of  argol. 
8       do.     of  logwood. 
6      do.     of  brazil. 
4      do.     of  redwood 
4      do.     OT  alum 
4      do.     of  copperas. 
The  wares  are  to  be  boiled  half  an  hour,  the  furnace  run  up,  the 
wool  entered  and  boiled  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  cool  down,  landed 
and  washed. 

For  a  pearl  on  sixty  pounds  of  wool, 
i  pound  of  nut-galls. 
■J    do.     of  madder. 
The  wares  are  to  be  boiled  half  an  hour,  the  furnace  run  up, 
the  wool  entered  an-l  boiled  a  quarter  of  an  hour;  while  boiling, 
add  two  ounces  of  alum,  cool  down  and  land. 


24 


278 


TO  DYE  GREEN  DRABS. 

FOR  a  lig-ht  greenish  drab,  having  an  olive  hue,  on  one  hun- 
dred and  sixteen  pounds  of  wool. 

15  pounds  of  weld. 
2      do.     of  logwood. 
1      do.     of  fustic. 
The  welds  to  be  boiled  one  hour  and  taken  out ;  then  the  other 
wares  one  hour,  the  furnace  run  up,  the  wool  entered  and  boiled 
one  hour,  then  cool  down  and  sadden  with  six  ounces  of  copperas 
and  three  pounds  of  alum,  boil  one  hour  and  land. 

For  a  dark  green  drab  on  fifty-eight  pounds  of  vrool. 
5  pounds  of  fustic. 
2      do.     of  logwood. 
^      do.     of  madder. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  run  up,  enter  the  wool  and  boil  it  two 
hours,  cool  down  and  sadden  with 

1  of  a  pound  li  alum. 

i  of  a  pound  of  pot-ash. 

2  ounces  of  copperas. 

Boil  half  an  hour,  and  then  add  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  oil  of  vi- 
triol ;  let  it  lie  in  all  night. 

For  a  very  dark  muddy  brown  drab,  which  has  been  lately  very 
fashionable,  when  mixed  with  white  or  light  blue. 
8  pounds  of  rasped  fustic. 
6      do.     of  redwood, 
of  logwood, 
of  ombre  madder, 
of  camwood, 
of  barwood. 

The  wares  to  be  boiled  two  hours,  the  furnace  run  up,  the  wool 
entered  and  boiled  one  hour  and  a  half,  then  cool  down  and  sad- 
den with  two  pounds  of  copperas  and  nine  pounds  of  argol. 


4 

do. 

4 

do. 

1 

do. 

8 

do. 

279 


To  dye  drab  on  cotton. 

Mix  fustic  and  sumac  liquor  in  warm  water,  turn  in  the  cotton 
and  work  it  well;  it  for  a  brownish  drab,  turn  the  cotton  into  a 
weak  copperas  liquor ;  if  for  a  greenish  drab  mix  logwood  with  the 
fustic  and  sumac,  and  a  little  blue  vitriol  with  alum  and  copper- 
as ;  when  well  worked,  wring  out  lightly  and  it  is  finished. 

To  dye  drab  on  silk. 

Boil  it  in  black  soap,  wash  out,  and  stick  up  as  for  other  colours 
— -put  a  little  spent  urchil  into  a  very  warm  liquor,  a  little  fustic,  a 
little  logwood,  and  strew  in  a  little  copperas — stir  up  well,  and  try 
a  pattern — when  too  blue,  use  a  little  argol,  or  cream  of  tartar, 
which  will  raise  the  red  of  the  logwood. 

On  dying  of  double  colours. 

Cloth  is  sometimes  dved  double  colours,  that  is,  one  side  of  a 
cloth  is  dyed  of  one  colour,  and  the  other  side  of  another.  Such 
colours  are  rarely  seen  in  this  country,  and  are  only  seen  occa- 
sionally in  Europe ;  but  as  they  were  once  fashionable,  and  may 
become  so  again,  I  shall  finish  the  subject  of  dying  by  giving  the 
processes  for  dying  these.  The  principle  markets  at  the  present 
time  for  double  colours  are  Turkey  and  Arabia.  The  Arabs  co- 
rer  their  horses  with  cloth  dyed  purple  and  scarlet,  by  turning  up 
the  corners  they  show  a  beautiful  drapery,  and  the  corners  being 
bung  with  gold  or  silver  tassels,  give  to  the  horses  furniture  a  very 
rich  and  elegant  appearance. 

There  are  two  kind  of  double  colours,  those  having  green  on 
one  side  aiid  yellow  on  the  other,  and  those  having  purple  on  one 
side  and  scarJet  on  the  other.     We  will  commence  with  the  first. 


280 

Gloth  made  for  double  colours,  should  be  fine  in  quality,  wove 
rerj  stout,  elcYen  quarters  in  the  loom,  not  raore  than  twenty-four 
yards  when  fulled,  and  left  under  six  quarters  wide.  They  should 
have  a  good  nap  raised  on  both  sides,  and  finished  shearing  before 
they  are  dyed.  They  must  be  well  pized  with  fuller's  earth,  and 
dried  to  prepare  them  for  the  dye»  When  for  yellow  and  green, 
the  cloth  must  first  be  dyed  a  bright  yellow  as  follows — for  forty- 
eight  pounds  of  cloth,  use  in  the  boiling 
10  pounds  of  alum. 
2  do.  of  cream  of  tartar. 
25  do.  of  fustic  chips. 
Boil  the  wares  two  hours,  heave  in  the  cloth  and  boil  it  four  hours 
— then  cool  down,  heave  out,  stream  it  till  clean  and  dry.  A  flour 
paste  has  now  to  be  prepared.  We  have  in  England  two  sorts  of 
wheat,  one  of  which  affords  a  flour  that  will  make  a  tougher  paste 
than  the  other ;  when  flour  is  ordered  for  double  colours,  it  is  al- 
ways such  as  will  produce  the  toughest  paste.  The  paste  is  made 
the  day  before  it  has  to  be  used.  It  requires  a  stiff  paste  to  pre- 
vent its  penetrati;  g  through  the  cloth  when  rubbed  on,  yet  thin 
enough  to  work  thoroughly  into  the  nap  of  the  cloth.  When  this 
has  been  properly  prepared,  one  end  of  the  cloth  is  placed  on  a 
smooth  table  about  five  feet  wide  and  twelve  long,  beginning  at 
one  end,  the  side  intended  to  be  pasted,  lying  uppermost.  One 
person  lifts  the  paste  out  of  the  tub  with  a  clean  tin  or  copper  la- 
dle, and  places  it  on  the  cloth,  while  two  others  are  employed  in 
rubbing  it  into  and  all  over  the  face  of  the  cloth  with  their  hands. 
Soon  as  a  piece  has  been  pasted,  the  two  ends  are  brought  together, 
and  the  whole  piece  doubled,  leaving  that  side  which  has  beeu 
pasted,  inside.  The  cloth  is  now  placed  upon  a  long  scrave  or  ta- 
ble, and  four  or  more  women  are  employed  to  sew  the  lists  to- 
gether, these  are  turned  in  and  rolled  before  sewing,  the  work  is 
drawn  tight  and  the  stitches  are  close  together  to  prevent  any 
liquor  from  penetrating  through  the  lists.  The  two  ends  are  rolled 
and  sewed  up  in  the  same  way.  Care  must  be  taken,  during  this 
operation,  tli.it  none  of  the  paste  touch  tlie  side  of  the  cloth  that 
has  not  been  pasted,  for,  in  such  places,  the  cloth  will  not  receive 


281 

the  destined  colour.    While  this  has  been  doing,  the  furnace  must 
be  brought  on  with  a  new  liquor,  into  which  put 

4  pounds  of  alum. 

4     do.      of  fustic. 

3     do.      of  chemick. 
Boil  the  alum  and  fustic  two  hours,  drop  in  the  chemick,  and  boil 
ten  mioutes.     Let  the  cloth,  which  is  now  very  heavy,  be  brought 
to  the  furnace  on  a  clean  hand-barrow  and  placed  on  the  curb — 
open  a  few  stitches  in  the  end  sufficient  to  make  such  an  opening 
as  will  admit  the  nosel  of  of  a  bellows,  and  blow  in  as  much  air  as 
can  be  forced  into  it.     Let  the  opening  be  immediately  sewed  up. 
Two  men  must  now  carefully  lift  the  cloth  off  the  hand-barrow 
into  tlie  furnace  keeping  the   folds  square  and  even,  while  two 
others  are  employed  in  placing  it  under  the  liquor  with  stopping 
sticks.     Care  must  be  taken  not  to  hand  it  in  faster  than  the  stop- 
pers can  put  it  under  the  liquor,  yet  it  is  necessary  this  operation 
should  be  performed  as  rapidly  as  possible.     The  air  blown  in  by 
the  bellows,  will  be  confined  in  the  inside  by  the  paste  ;  and  when 
the  cloth  comes  in  contact  with  the  hot  liquor,  the  air  becomes  so 
expanded  as  to  swell  as  large  as  a  butt,  and  this  moving,  as  the 
cloth  is  worked,  prevents  the  paste  from  sticking  together,  and 
enables  the  workmen  to  move  it  in  any  direction.  It  has  now  to  be 
worked  backwards  and  forwards,  first  on  one  side  of  the  furnace, 
and  then  on  the  other,  at  every  three  or  four  turns  the  end  is  tum- 
bled over  so  as  to  bring  the  side  that  was  lowest  in  the  furnace  to 
be  uppermost.     The  working  must  be  done  expeditiously  to  make 
the  colour  even,  it  should  be  had  in  cool,  and  the  liquor  brought 
on  to  a  boil  very  gradually.     When  boiled  to  the  colour  wanted, 
the  liquor  is  cooled  down  so  far  as  to  enable  the  workmen  to  han- 
dle the  cloth  which  has  now  to  be  lifted  out  by  hand  into  a  large 
back  of  cold  water.     Before  opening  the  cloth,  it  must  be  stream- 
ed till  no  stain  appear  on  the  water  ;  when  washed  clean,  the  twine 
is  taken  from  tlie  lists,  the  paste  scraped  off  as  clean  as  possible, 
and   then  cleaned  in   the  stocks   till  all  the  paste  is  completely 
washed  off.     It  is  then  tentered,  dried,  pressed,  and  packed.     The 

2.4* 


2B2 

side  that  was  pasted,  will  now  be  of  a  beautiful  yellow,  and  the 
other  of  a  rich  green. 

It  requires  some  experience  to  perform  this  operation  with  per- 
fect safety,  and  the  cloth  must  be  free  from  holes  or  thin  places. 

To  dye  a  double  coloui^,  havini^'  purple  on  the  one  side,  and  scarlet 

on  the  other. 

The  cloth  has  to  be  pized  and  dried,  the  same  as  before.  It  is 
now  pasted  when  white,  and  sewed  up,  as  directed  for  the  yellow 
in  the  last.  When  this  has  been  done,  take  it  on  a  hand-barrow 
to, the  blue  vat,  blow  in  air,  sew  the  hole  up,  take  it  into  the  vat, 
and  work  till  it  becomes  of  a  %ht  blue.  It  is  then  taken  out  of 
the  vat,  the  paste  scraped  off,  and  streamed.  Care  must  be  taken 
while  this  is  doing-,  that  none  of  the  blue  touches  the  side  that  has 
been  pasted.  When  streamed,  take  it  to  the  fulling-xnill,  and  wash 
it  under  the  hammer  thoroughly.  It  must  now  be  hung  up  to 
drain  until  the  next  day.  When  drained,  clean  it  in  the  fulling- 
mill  with  earth,  and  dry  it.  The  side  that  was  pasted  will  now  be 
white,  and  the  other  a  light  blue — the  side  that  is  blue  must  be 
placed  inside,  bringing  the  ends  of  the  cloth  together,  and  sewed 
up  with  rolled  lists,  as  before,  ends  as  well  as  sides.  When  this  is 
done,  take  it  to  the  scarlet  furnace,  and  colour  the  white  side  scar- 
let, after  the  same  way,  with  respect  to  workmanship,  as  directed 
for  green.  There  having  been  no  paste  put  on  this  time,  the  liquor 
will  have  penetrated  sufficiently  through  the  cloth,  to  make  the 
side  that  was  blue  of  a  rich  purple.  The  cloth  has  now  to  be  well 
cleansed,  by  streaming-  after  the  ends  and  lists  have  been  opened, 
wid  finished  the  same  as  the  green. 

This  appears,  on  paper,  to  be  a  very  simple  operation,  but  is  not 
found  so  in  practice.  The  cloth  must  be  very  stout  made,  and  ve- 
ry fine  in  the  ground,  to  prevent  the  paste  from  working  through 
it,  and  it  becomes  so  heavy,  when  pasted,  as  to  require  four  men 
to  carry  it  on  a  hand-barrow,  which  renders  it  very  difficult  t^ 


283 

work,  and  makes  it  very  liable  to  be  torn  during  the  operation, 
which  FUins  the  work. 

The  price  paid  to  the  dyer,  for  scarlet  and  purple,  was,  twenty 
years  since,  two  dollars  and  one-third  per  yard.    ' 


ON   BLEACHING   OF   COTTON,   BY  CHEMICAL 
PKOCESS. 

The  materials  used  for  this  purpose,  are  fine  salt,  sulphuric  acid 
^and  manganese.  The  sulphuric  acid  decomposes  the  salt,  combining 
with  Its  soda,  and  liberating  its  muriatic  acid,  which  in  its  turn  de- 
composes  the  oxyde  of  manganese,  and  enters  into  combination  with 
Its  oxygen,  thus  forming  what  Da.'y  calls  chlorine,  and  was  known 
before  the  nomenclature  was  altered  by  him,  by  the  name  of  oxv- 
nmnatic  acid  gas.  "  It  is  of  a  yellowish  green  colour.  Its  odour 
IS  mtolerably  acrid  and  suffocating,  h  cannot  be  breathed  with- 
out  proving  fatal.  When  atmospheric  air,  containing  a  mixture  of 
It  IS  breathed,  it  occasions  a  violent  and  convulsive  cough,  attend- 
ed With  much  pain  in  the  chest." 

I  thought  it  necessary  to  premise  thus  much,  in  order  to  guard 


284 

The  form  of  the  retort  in  which  this  g-as  is  made,  must  be  gireu 
in  order  to  make  mj  iustruclions  intellig^ible. 


Fig-ure  A,  is  a  safety  tube  used  to  prevent  any  accident  during' 
the  operation,  and  is  also  used  to  convey  the  sulphuric  acid  into 
the  retort,  after  the  other  materials  are  put  in,  and  the  whole  well 
luted  down.  B,  is  a  distilling  tube,  through  which  the  gas  passes 
over  into  the  receiver. 

It  is  important  to  observe  whether  the  sulphuric  acid  is  of  the 
standard,  specific  gravity,  1.  85,  that  is,  whether  it  weighs  eighty- 
five  per  cent  more  than  the  same  measure  of  distilled  water,  since 
a  small  deficiency,  in  this  respect,  will  be  attended  with  a  great 
deficiency  of  strength.  In  "Thompson's  Chemistry"  there  is  a  ta- 
ble showing  the  strength,  and  consequently,  the  value  of  sulphuric 
acid,  of  different  specific  gravities.  It  will  there  be  seen,  that  when 
■sulphuric  acid  is  of  the  specific  gravity,  1 .  85,  it  will  contain  fifteen 
per  cent,  of  water,  when  of  1.  80,  it  will  contain  twenty  per  cent., 
and  so  on.  As  all  good  oil  of  vitriol  ought  to  be  at  least  1.  85,  it 
will  be  found  a  great  loss  to  the  bleacher,  when  it  proves  to  be  be- 
low that  standard. 


Still  more  important  is  the  purity  of  the  manganese ;  for  if  it  con- 
tains much  calcarious,  or  other  earthy  matter,  there  is  not  only  a 
loss  of  so  much  manganese,  but  a  greater  loss  of  sulphuric  acid,  ne- 
cessarily wasted  in  saturating  the  earthy  matter.     There  are  tw« 


i 


285 

distinct  ores  of  manganese,  the  grey  and  the  black — the  grey  is  the 
richest  ore,  but  is  very  subject  to  be  combined  with  hme,  some 
samples  containing  eight  per  cent. ;  therefore,  the  black  is  to  be 
preferred,  as  it  is  said  to  contain  no  lime,  its  impurity  consisting 
principally  in  sulphur,  which  has  no  injurious  effect  in  this  process. 

Fine  salt  should  be  employed  for  this  purpose,  that  which  is  call- 
ed blown  being  the  best.  It  should  be  clean,  and  free  from  all 
adulterations. 

The  next  object  is,  to  obtain  a  caustic  alkali,  for  the  carbonic 
acid  coniained  in  the  alkali  that  is  offered  for  sale,  renders  it  much 
less  efficacious  than  when  it  is  made  caustic  bj'  lime.  For  this  pur- 
pose add  to  the  alkali  half  its  weight  of  quick  lime,  and  boil  them 
for  half  an  hour  in  water-  When  clear,  the  solution  is  poured  off, 
and  trore  water  added,  to  wash  the  sediment,  and  this  process  is 
repealed  several  times,  till  the  alkali  is  found  to  be  all  extracted. 
When  the  alkali  is  to  be  used  in  the  receiver,  it  is  unnecessary  to 
separate  all  the  lime — and  if  the  receiver  be  filled  with  lime-water^ 
the  boiling  in  lime  may  be  omitted. 

To  prepare  the  bleaching  liquor. 

To  a  receiver  containing  one  hundred  and  twenty  gallons  of 
water,  add  eight  pounds  of  pearl-ash,  rendered  caustic  by  lime. 
For  this  quantity  put  into  the  retort  fourteen  pounds  of  manganese, 
^nd  from  sixteen  to  twenty  pounds  of  salt,  mixed  with  three  gal- 
lons of  water.  The  cover  and  tubes  are  then  firmly  luted  by  driv- 
ing into  the  joinings  a  stiff  putty,  and  afterwards,  dry  powdered 
chalk.     The  cover  also  should  be  faslened  down  to  ensure  safety. 

When  things  are  thus  disposed,  sixteen  pounds  of  sulphuric  acid 
are  poured  through  the  crooked  funnel ;  but  slowly  and  at  inter- 
vals, that  the  gas  may  not  pass  too  rapidly,  which  is  known  by  the 
violence  of  the  ebullition  in  the  receiver,  and  the  escape  of  the 
noxious  fumes.     This  is  a  tedious  process,   and  usually  consumes 


286 

half  a  daj.  It  would  be  easy  to  place  a  vessel  of  the  acid  so  that 
a  very  small  sueam  miglit  constantly  pass  into  Uie  fuouel,  auo  iLus 
the  operation  be  suffered  to  go  on  of  itself.  There  irouia  be  a 
saving  of  time,  and  the  supply  of  acid  would  be  more  unilbrm,  oc- 
casiouiiig  a  less  waste  of  the  gas.  After  all  tiie  action  has  ceased, 
which  may  be  known  by  applying  the  ear  to  the  receiver,  or  by 
grasping  with  the  hand  the  tube  leading  to  it,  a  fire  is  kindled  un- 
der the  retort.  This  must  also  be  regulated  by  the  evolution  of 
gas,  and  continued  till  no  more  passes  over,  which  usually  occu- 
pies three  or  four  hours.  By  this  time  the  gas  tube  will  be  hot, 
owing  to  the  passage  of  steam,  though  dunng  most  of  the  process 
it  will  be  cold. 

The  bent  funnel  is  not  always  so  adjusted  as  to  operate  as  a  tube 
ci  safetv .  in  which  case  it  will  be  necessary  to  open  the  retort  as 
soon  as  the  heat  decays,  otherwise  the  bleaching  liquor  from  the 
receiver  will  pass  into  the  retort  and  nil  it.  in  eveiy  case  it  n.ay 
be  i^roper  to  open  it  and  pour  in  cold  water,  for  a  lai'ge  masb  of 
heated  brick  work  and  sand  will  cause  the  contents  tu  boil  for  a 
long  time  after  the  fire  is  removed,  and  thereby  to  become  indu- 
rattd.  For  the  greater  safety  or  the  retort,  it  is  thought  by  some 
useful  to  keep  the  sand  in  which  it  is  embedded  filled  with  water. 

It  is  necessary  to  be  attentive  to  these  and  such  like  minutiae, 
which  have  been  the  occasion  of  many  failures  to  young  practi- 
tiouei*s. 


BLEACHNG. 

THE  first  process  which  the  cloth  usually  undergoes,  is  fermen- 
tatioii.  wfiich  is  very  usefully  attended  to  when  time  wi  1  admit, 
thoug?i  ii  i»  not  indispensable.  V*'hen  t.his  has  been  well  per  form" 
ed,  a  quantity  o^  gelatmous  substance  has  collected  in  the  water, 
and  in  the  subsequent  washing  much  foam,  like  that  of  soap  suds^ 


287 

has  been  produced.  I  have  sometimes  fermented  in  weak  Ije,  in 
which  cloth  has  been  boiled.  In  either  case  it  is,  of  course,  pre-? 
ferable  in  a  warm  state.  When  put  into  the  fermenting  hquor,  it 
is  loosely  folded,  and  the  two  corners  of  the  end  tied  round  it.  In 
this  state  it  is  also  boiled  and  washed.  The  washing-  is  repeated 
after  every  other  process,  severally,  till  it  is  finally  dried,  and  is 
performed  at  least  six  times. 

After  fermenting-  and  washing,  it  is  next  boiled  in  lye.  Bleach- 
ers use  difterent  proportions  of  pot-ash,  but  three  pounds  to  the 
hundred  weight  of  cloth  is  considered  by  good  bleachers  as  suffi- 
cient. The  same  liquor  will  answer  several  times,  and  perhaps 
any  number  of  times,  by  adding  additional  pot-ash,  and  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  water  to  supply  the  loss.  The  process  of  bucking,  with 
suitable  apparatus,  would  be  preferable  to  boiling.  I  have  known 
this  tried  by  hand,  but  it  was  found  much  too  laborious.  The  lye 
will  become  deeply  coloured  and  thickened,  and  it  is  said  will, 
sometimes,  acquire  the  consistence  of  molasses,  by  dissolving  and 
combining  with  the  colouring  matter  of  the  cloth. 

When  the  cloth  is  put  to  bleaching,  it  must  be  untied  and  loosely 
thrown  into  the  liquor,  crowding  it  down  but  little.  One-third 
part  of  the  contents  of  the  receiver,  as  before  described,  diluted 
with  three  or  four  times  the  quantity  of  water,  will  be  sufficient 
for  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  cloth.  The  time  it  remains  in 
the  bleaching  liquor,  must  be  determined  by  convenience,  but 
twelve  hours  is  sufficient,  perhaps  much  less.  Those  who  use  the 
hyperoxy  muriate  of  lime,  say  it  is  slower  in  its  operation. 

Lime  would  be  more  economical  than  pot-ash,  and  is  said  to  an- 
swer as  well.  I  made  one  experiment,  however,  with  it,  but  from 
some  cause,  was  not  very  successful,  much  of  the  gas  escaping. 
When  lime  is  used  in  the  receiver,  in  place  of  pearl-ash,  continual 
agitation  is  requisite  to  keep  it  suspended  in  the  liquor,  and  per- 
haps even  then  it  does  not  combine  so  readily  with  the  gas  as  pot- 
ash, the  one  being  mechanically,  the  other  chemically  divided* 


288 

It  is  the  same  with  carbonate  of  magnesia,  reoortmended  by  Davy, 
yet  tliis  substance  1  employed  in  my  first  bleaching  expcniuent 
with  complete  success. 

To  return  from  this  digression,  the  boiling-  and  bleaching",  with 
the  WRsbing^  must  be  again  repeated,  which  will  g^i  n<^rally  be 
sufficient.  Less  alkali  will  be  required  after  the  first  boiling,  and 
a  fresh  solutiun  of  pearl-ash  is  preferable,  as  it  keeps  the  cloth 
nicer  than  common  pot-ash.  After  the  cloth  is  sufficiently  bleach- 
ed, it  is  put  into  a  souring  in  order  to  take  out  such  stains  as  it 
may  have  contracted,  as  also,  to  prevent  its  acquiring  a  brown 
tmge  by  time.  It  is  usually  recommended  to  make  the  water  as 
scair  to  liie  taste  with  oil  of  vitriol  as  lemon  juice.  The  cloth 
loo'cs  ihe  clearer  for  being-  in  h  oretty  strong  acid,  in  which  it 
shuald  remain  twelve  hours.  When  it  comes  out  of  this  liquor, 
cledr  water  should  be  made  to  pass  through  it  three  or  four  times, 
filling-  the  vessel  and  drawing  oflf  at  the  bottom.  This  w)ll  take 
out  much  of  the  acid,  after  which  it  must  be  carefully  and  thorough- 
ly cleansed,  by  repeated  washings. 

It  is  said  the  cloth  will  have  a  brighter  appearance  for  being 
dried  in  the  shade. 

The  process  for  yarn  or  thread,  is  essentially  the  same  as  that 
described  for  cloth  ;  but  it  seems  to  require  a  gi  eater  streogih  of 
bleaching  liquor,  or  that  the  pi*ocess  should  be  oftener  repeated. 
The  labour  i)f  washing  is  much  greater.  Some  persons  pass  a 
large  stream  of  water  through  it  for  some  time,  which  willckanse 
it  su  ^  -ieDtly,  except  after  the  souring,  wh'  o  it  must  be  thorough' 
ly  washed.     By  this  means  much  labour  will  be  saved. 


^•^"^ 


y 


